STATE MINERS’ UNION ELECTION.

Grey River Argus, 9 February 1943, Page 3

STATE MINERS’ UNION ELECTION.

LTo the Editor! Sir.—In your issue of Saturday, February 6th, you published a misleading and erroneous report of. the annual meeting of the State Miners' Union. It would perhaps be wise in future to obtain your information from an unbiased service; and verify all accounts of similar meetings. That you published this report in good faith, I do not doubt, so perhaps you will welcome this opportunity by giving this letter publicity. The published report of the meeting stated, that only the positions of Vice-Presi-dent and General Check Inspector were uncontested,, which is incorrect, and I would suggest Mr. Editor, that vou obtain from the new Union secretary a complete list of all elected officers, clearly indicating those unopposed and. publish same at the earliest. Perhaps the mysterious local ori ganisation, which was successful in I having some of its members returned i unopposed, and elected to executive positions was a painful surprise to certain individuals who now cease to ■ weild any influence in the Miners’ [ Union. When the members of the State Miners’ Union by a very- large majori >ly. agreed by ballot, to continue their | membership „of the United Mine I Workers, ignoring the threat of the Union President that he would resign if they did so, is clear evidence of the miners’ common sense and dislike of dictatorial methods. The Union has had many officers in the past, whose retirements did not prevent that organisation from prospering and I venture to predict that this will also be true in this instance. I am, etc., EN AVANT. ’ [The correspondent’s report accurately recorded each and every ballot, the sole omission being the Rewanui positions of check and deputy check weighman, filled by Messrs W- Pattinson and Richard Scott respectively without ballots. We fail to see how the minor oversight could render the report misleading.— Ed.J