MEETING'S ABRUPT END

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIX, Issue 21346, 22 November 1932, Page 10

MEETING'S ABRUPT END

DISSENSION IN SOCIETY

SIZE OF THE COMMITTEE

NO BUSINESS TRANSACTED

A largely-attended meeting of tlio Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals declined last evening to accept tho recommendations of its interim committee for the alteration of the constitution. It refused to hear tho recommendations read and broke up without any business being accomplished. The proceedings opened with the. reading of the minutes of the special meeting held in June, when tho committee was nsked to resign following tho ventilation of dissensions in the society's ranks. Tho record of the transactions was of such length that jts muling occupied 25 minutes. A motion that tho minutes bo confirmed was then defeated, consent to thoir adoption being finally obtained when an alteration was agreed to. Tho president, Mr. J. B. Donald, who presided, explained that tho interim committee which was managing tho affairs of tho society pending tho election of a new committee at tho annual meeting, which is to be held in about tlireo weeks, had drawn up a proposed, new constitution. Tha principal amendment, suggested by tho committee was designed to bring about an alteration in tho size of tho committee. At present it consisted of 12 members, of which six wero males and six females. It was felt that tho committee was too large. Tho only motive actuating tho interim committee in making its recommendations was the removal of tho dissensions from which tho society was suffering.

When Mr. Donald asked Mr. A. St. Clair Brown, the society's solicitor, to read tho proposed new constitution, protests were made that tho meeting was irregular, and that the interim committee, being appointed merely to manage the society's affair? pending tho election of a new committee, was not Entitled to recommend such a drastic proposal as an alteration to tho constitution. The chairman's motion that tho old rules be rescinded was defeated. Several members then protested against any business being transacted, whereupon' Mr. Donald said, " Hands up those who want the meeting closed ?" The majority of those present raised their hands, and the chairman declared the meeting closed.

A vote of thanks was passed to the chairman.