RETURNED MEN

Evening Post, Volume CXX, Issue 125, 22 November 1935, Page 6

RETURNED MEN

ASSOCIATION AFFAIRS

ELECTION OF EXECUTIVE

After a short discussion on the ' iasis of the election of the executive I f the Wellington Returned Soldiers' Association, a special general meeting if the association last night decided gainst making any alteration. The natter was first raised at the annual neeting, when the suggestion was nade that each auxiliary committee hould have representation on the rxecutive. About thirty members atended the meeting. The president (Lieutenant-Colonel A. Bowles, V.D.) explained that some nembers had expressed a desire that he rules should be amended to liter the basis of the election of the :xecutive. The suggestion was that I :ach auxiliary committee should have j ,he right to elect a member to the 1 jxecutive. The executive had coniidered the matter, and. after careful nquiry had come to the conclusion .hat the general body of returned soldiers was against sectional representation. In addition to that the luxiliary committees differed in strength, and if each elected a representative the small committees would nave an advantage over the large ones, rhen many members moved frequently, and those men would be robbed of their right to vote. If the :entre of Wellington and the committees were all represented the executive would be a very unwieldy one. | There was another point, said "olonel Cowles. The committee members would have the right to elect one man only instead of nixie as at present. The system would lead to disruption, would disfranchise members, and would be most undemocratic, rhe Wellington association was acknowledged to stand high among the associations of New Zealand, not only in returned soldiers' work but in the esteem of the public. The public had assisted the association in various ways and had showed its confidence in the present arrangement. Colonel Cowles moved that the method of electing the executive should not be altered. ♦ Mr. J. S. Hanna seconded the motion and said that he could say that the Karori auxiliary committee had no desire to come into the central executive at all. They considered such a change was' wrong in principle and were against it. Mr. C. O. Bell said that he did not think the executive had carried out the wishes of the annual meeting. The suggestion had some merit in view of the fact that the sub-associations had representation on the executive at the present time. He had gone into the matter very carefully and he considered the best way to alter the system of election would be by postal ballot. He moved as an amendment that the election of the executive, including the president and vice-presi-dent, should be by postal ballot. Colonel Cowles said he could not; accept the amendment as it was a direct negative. After reading the -.rule under discussion, Mr. Bell agreed that his amendment could not stand. After further discussion the motion was carried.