THE A.S.R.S.

Hawera Star, Volume XLVIII, 7 March 1925, Page 5

THE A.S.R.S.

RAILWAYMEX’S WITHDRAWAL. THEIR FUTURE POLICY. OFFICIAL REVIEW. (By Telegraph—Special to the Star.) WELLINGTON, March 6. Further information regarding the rililwaymen’s withdrawal from the Alliance of Labour is contained in the report, of the Amalgamated Society of Railway Servants’ recent biennial conference, published in the Society’s official journal. It states: "The forced withdrawal of the A.S.R.S. from the Alliance of Labour was a strike sequel which the conference had to consider, especially as the Railway Board raised the point during the conference sittings, which the delegates immediately answered. M'r M. J. Mack had been reported in the press as having presided at a recent meeting of the Alliance in his capacity of president. The Railway Board chairman wrote wishing to know, in view of the undertaking to withdraw from tlie Alliance, how the Society came to be represented at a meeting in January, 1925. The conference was satisfied from the explanations'of the president and general secretary that the undertaking to the Minister had been, carried out, and it expressed no dissent from Mr Mack’s claim that, as a private citizen, he had a perfect right to his own opinions. The chairman of the Board received on tlie same day the following reply, approved by conference, which the Minister of Railways recently published. The review continues: "It had been made plain to the Minister of Railways by the outgoing executive that its arrangement only committed the Society until the next conference, which would be open to review the matter. The necessary steps had been properly taken to withdraw from the- Alliance. The A.S.R.S. had paid up its current dues, and at, the time of the conference meeting it was not an amalgamated body of the Alliance. The delegates, having discused the situation, eventually came to the following decision: ‘That the conference realises that at present it is inadvisable to reunite with the Alliance of Labour.’’ Some important modifications were made in tlie Society’s organisation. Tlie new executive was elected’as formerly from members of the conference, but it was decided that future executives will be elected direct from the members, and the election will take place at the same time as that for conference delegates. A motion to abolish the conference was negatived. The delegates definitely accepted, in conection with the executive, the reversion to the old system of departmental representation, and resolve,d to apply the departmental, system to the election of conference delegates, which, states the Society’s journal, is a. radical change, involving the disappearance of the proportional representation system of voting, which the Society had followed in tAvo elections. Preferential voting is to be substituted. The splendid work of the Workers’ Education Association was recognised by previous conferences to the extent of a grant of £SO. It was again a subject of approval, the conference increasing its grant to £75.