A LIVELY CONFERENCE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLVI, Issue 14145, 21 August 1909, Page 8

A LIVELY CONFERENCE.

DELEGATES ASKED TO LEAVE.

LEGALITY OF A VOTE.

[BY TELEGRAPH". —TRESS ASSOCIATION'.]

Wellington, Friday. A stormy scene took place at the Waterside Workers' Conference this afternoon. When the conference first met, Mr. D. McLaren, M.P., secretary of the federation, explained that he had not been sent as a delegate, but as secretary ex officio, in the feeling that he would be of greater service to the conference in that capacity. In that standing he has taken part in the discussion, and voted when divisions wore, taken. This afternoon, however, Mr. F. McCann (Wellington) took objection to a vote cast by Mr. McLaren, on the ground that he had no standing. Ho quoted from the rules to show that one delegate had one vote. Mr. McLaren, he submitted, was not a delegate.

The Chairman ruled that Mr. McLaren had a right to vote, but said he would put the matter of Mr. McLaren's actual standing to a vote of the delegates.

Mr. McLaren heatedly stated that he was not there to be insulted. "If the conference does not want me," he,said, " I will leave now. I won't stand that from any man."

Mr. McCarthy (Napier), above the din and disorder and general interjections which followed, managed to say that it was quite clear to him that certain delegates were present to criticise Mr. McL<iren.

Mr. McCann vehemently declared that he was not criticising Mr. McLaren.

Mr. McCarthy, continuing, held that Mr. McLaren, as secretary of the "federation, had a right to vote.

Mr. McCann (warmly) : He has nothing of the sort.

Mr. Voyce (Lyltelton) said if Mr. McCann had a spark of manliness in him he would apologise to Mr. McLaren for the attacks lie has made on him.

Mr. McCann (emphatically): "I will do nothing of the sort."

Mr. A. L. Jones stated that Mr. McLaren was present on sufferance. Mr. McLaren was a paid official of the conference, and he had never heard of a paid official exercising a vote. Such an idea was against all precedent.

Mr. Voyce : What rot! Mr. Jones: It is not rot. I notice it is the paid officials who say "rot."

Mr. Bruton, as president of the Wellington Union, regretted that his co-dele-gates should have raised. the point.

Mr. J. Osborne (Greymouth) said it had been decided on the first day of the conference that Mr. McLaren was in the same position as the rest of the delegates. He was certain the matter was purely a personal one between Messrs. McCann and Jones on the one hand, and Mr. iJL'oLaren on the other.

Eventually a motion was carried, all the delegates, except Mr. McCann and Mr. Jones, voting for it, according Mr. McLaren the full privileges of a delegate.

The conference, on the motion of Mr. D. Casey (Napier), then went into committee to further deal with the offending delegates. On resuming the chairman reported that the following resolution had been carried in committee, no delegate voting against it —"That the conference ask Mr. McCann and Mr. Jones to retire, on the ground that they have obstructed the business, misrepresented their union, and are injuring the interests of their »wn federation."

The two delegates immediately retired, after gathering up their papers.