SPLIT IN CAMP

Evening Post, Volume CVI, Issue 55, 13 September 1928, Page 13

SPLIT IN CAMP

WELLINGTON MOTORISTS MANAWATU BREAK AWAY (By Telegraph.) (Special to "The Evening Post") PALMBESTON N., This Day. There were some purple passages at the meeting called by the Wellington Automobile Club in Pahnerston North last evening to put before Manawatu motorists the claims of the parent body. Mr. Mail toil, who occupied the chair, quoted figures to show how the W.A.C. stood as regards expenditure in Paluierston North. The receipts had been: 1020, £90 0s Cd; 1927, &9r. 9s 6d; 1925, £420 lCs 6d; total, £612, 13s Od. The expenditure had amounted to £.607 3s 9d, leaving a balance of £.5 9: 9d. Signboards had cost £760 10s 3d not, guide books £100, commissions to special men sent to Palmerston North £90, telephone fees £39 11s, screen transfers, £9. Of these amounts £199 was a direct charge on the Palmerston North branch. The total membership of the Palmerston North branch was 660, with 120 unflnancial. Dealing with the history of the Palmerston North branch, Mr. Manton said that many efforts were made to set it going until finally the W.A.C. accompished this. The agreements reached included a rule that all moneys were to be forwarded to Wellington, but he claimed that this had not been done. On 28th June last a meeting was convened to discuss whether the Palmerston North branch should break away or not. The meeting resolved, after a good- deal of talk, that the branch should still adhere to the association in Wellington. Ho claimed to havo had no official notice of any breakaway of the Palmerston North branch. The only notice received was through the Press. Ho had not yet been able to learn by whose authority the resignation notices had been sent out in Palmerston North. No one had any right to print such notices under the heading of the W.A.C except the- 1-ead office in Wellington. The speaker contended it was more economical to run one big association than a number of small ones. Certain propaganda was being disseminated in Palmerston North that ho considered hardly fair play. The- W.A.C. had nothing to hide and never anticipated such an action as the Palmorston North branch had taken. There waa nothing against the formation of a Manawatu Association, but it should have been done in a proper businesslike way. The W.A.C. he claimed, would still bo in Palmerston North no matter what happened. Mr. E. A. Batt (Wellington) named Mr. E. R. B. Holben as father of the statement recently published which asked why should the Palmerston North branch send £1000 down to Wellington each year when it could be very well retained and spent in Palmerston North'? Hew, ho asked could £1009 be secured from 680 members? Mr. Stofct (Wellington secretary): "In three years we havo only received £270 from Palmerston North." Voices: "No; £417 19s 3d." Mr. Batt claimed that the W.A.C. had spent more money in and around Palmorston North than the new club could spend. Mr. M'Kenzio retorted chat it would spend more. Mr. I. V. Wilson (Wellington) claimed that even if the Manawatu Club was formed, the North Island Motor Union could not take the area away from the W.A.C. The W.A.C. had spent £760 on sign posts in the district north of Levin and bounded by the Wanganui and Auckland districts. Actually in three years the W.A.C. had spent £800 in the Manawatu more than it had received. In explaining the point of view of the secessionists, Mr. M'Kenzio said that what Palmerston North motorists thought of the matter was shown by the fact that he had received over 500 resignations from the W.A.C, He also said that the W.A.C. had refused a grant towards improving the camp at tiio Esplanade. Mr. Manton: "We considered it wrong in principle to make grants to camping sites where boroughs derived benefit." Mr. N. Maekie said that every motorist recognised that unity was needed, but they looked to the North Island Motor Union as the ono big association and not the Wellington Club. Wellington had definite notice by letter that Palmerston North wanted to form a separate club, and he personally had asked for a counter proposition. That, however, had never come to hand. If Mr. Manton thought there were any explanations needed relating to the affairs of the Palmerston North branch, he, as president, was prepared to make them. There would have been no split in the club but for the insurance question. After further argument concering membership and finances, during which the chairman denied the Wellington Club was contemplating spending £4000 or £5000 in Wellington on buildings, Mr. C. E. Beattie moved that motorists in Palmerston North continue with the W.A.C. The volume of voices for and against waa about equal. Amidst laughter the chairman declared tho motion carried. Mr. Holben then moved a vote of thanks to the chair, and the meeting started to break up. Mr. Batt, declaring that he saw in the request a possible move on the part of the opposition to have the meeting finish with no definite affirmative vote, demanded a show of hands. This the chairman called for, only a few responding. Mr. Manton pointed out that a number had left tho meeting, inferring that the declaration could not be taken as a guide as to the number in favour of the motion. Howover,, he proceeded to call for hands of the "Noes." Still fewer responded, and the nfotion was again declared carried. Mr. Stott (Wellington secretary) informed the Press reporters that he had counted the hands and said that the motion was carried.