UNION FUNDS

Evening Post, Volume CVII, Issue 23, 28 January 1924, Page 8

UNION FUNDS

EX-SECRETARY CHARGED WITH THEFT. (II TELEGRAPH— PREIB ASSOCIATIOH.) CHRISTCHURCH, This Day. R. D. Martin, ex-union secretary, wa3 charged with the theft of £164 Is £76 8s 6d, and £40 Us 3d, the money-of the Canterbury Bakers and Pastrycooks' Union. The police replying to coun-. sels statement that restitution had been' made said that several other charges would be made before the case was gone on with. The affairs of four other unions had yet to be gone into. A remand was granted till Friday, bail being fixed at £200, and two sureties of £100. There is a possibility of the case going for trial at the coming session of the Supreme Court. •■-..- *

Martin ceased to be secretary of the Bakers and Pastrycooks' Union about a fortnight ago, says the Christchurch 'Sun," and his duties were taken over temporarily by the secretary of the Canterbury Hotel and Restaurant Employees Union. About the same time the books of the union were impounded by the Department of Labour, under Section 3 of the Industrial Conciliation and Arbitration Amendment Act, 1922, which empowers the Registrar of Industrial Unions to compel any registered union to have its books examined by a public auditor if the Registrar suspects any irregularity or the misappropriation of moneys. The books were submitted to an audit in terms of the Act.

A special meeting' of members of the union was called a few days ago for Sa-fcurday evening, in the Trades. Hall. The business was stated in the following terms::—"To consider reports of special meeting re Mr. R. D. Martin. Auditor's report. Nominations for position of secretary." . ■ . . ■

< Martin has been, weir known in the Labour movement in Canterbury for a number of years, and has taken, a leading part of the formation of clerks' and shop-assistants' unions in various parts of the Dominion. He was a member of the last Christchurch City Council, and was defeated at ; the election in April of last year. He \yas an unsuccessful candidate for the Kaiapoi seat at the last Parliamentary General Election.