“SACK THE LOT”

New Zealand Times, Volume LII, Issue 12074, 27 February 1925, Page 4

“SACK THE LOT”

LIFE-SAVINC GIUNCIL POINTED REMARKS ON INACTIVITY OF EXECUTIVE. DELEGATES DISGUSTED. By Telegraph—" Times” Special Reporter. CHRISTCHURCH, February 26. The Dominion executive of the Royal Life-saving Society haß found itself in such deep water that all resuscitation methods by its members have so far proved futile, and following several years of inactivity an effort wa smade at the conference of the head centres to-day to expel some of the slackness which has become part and parcel of its existence Great dissatisfaction at the counciFs working was expressed by delegates, and an effort was made to entirely abolish the executive under the present constitution. For a start it was found that only two or three present were accredited representatives of the head centres, but file meeting recommenced after motions and cross motions had got round the point of law and had placed the conference on a legal basis. "HAD DONE NOTHING.” In regard to the somnambulistic council, the first word of dissatisfaction came from Mr T. G. Bainford, who moved that in the interests of life-saving tho Dominion executive, as at present constituted, nhould bo abolished. The council, said Mr Bamford, had done nothing over the past two or three years to justify its existence. In the first place it was constituted in order to co-ordinate the work of the head .centres. If it bad rooeived a sufficiently largo Government grant to engage a paid organiser some good might have resulted. FALTERING METHODS. That not being so, they had to rely on faltering methods, and as a result tho Dominion Council bad become a close corporation, not responsible to the centres for what it did. The centres who ; were unsatisfied had no means of redress ns the council published no annual report or balance-sheet. There had only been eight meetings in the past two years, and a very small, amount of work bad been done. Before anything in the way of reorganisation could be attempted the first thing to do would be to wipe out the executive as at present constituted. Then suggestions could bo taken, for the reconstruction of the body. A delegate: We sacked the council four years ago, but they won’t get out. "FROM BAD TO WORSE." Mr C. Atkinson declared that matters had gone from bad to worse in the past years, and the Canterbury Centre had found that it was quicker to get replies from tendon than it was to receive them from the council at Christchurch. Canterbury felt that something should be done to remedy matters. Unless something were done Canterbury would secede from the Dominion executive. "Wo are absolutely fed up with the live-saving control of the past few years," declared Mr Atkinson. Mr R. Smith (Wellington) said that be was very aorry that tho secretary of ;..c Rom inion Council was not present to defend himself. He apparently had an inkling of what was ooming. WELLINGTON DISGUSTED. The Wellington Centre was nothing short of disgusted with the Dominion Council, and an endeavour to obtain stock or replies to correspondence had all proved futile. Nothing had been heard about the Government grant, ahd it appeared that it was mainly due to the laxity of the council’s .secretary that the matter had lapsed. London had not been kept posted as to the Dominion’s work and Mr Henry, general secretary at London, had recently expressed • himself as disgusted with the Dominion Council’s work. A more democratic body should bo set up to control the work. The speaker moved as an amendment that the Dominion executive be reconstructed under a revised constitution, the executive to issue the while of the awards for .New Zealand and ap£ as an arbitral body to hear disputes between the centres and as a body to which any individual member can appeal in the case of a dispute. COUNCIL MEMBER. SPEAKS.

“As one of the Dominion executive I am asking delegates to give us tho sack," pleaded Mr W. H. Benson, who declared that although he had been appointed tb put things in order his efforts had proved futile. Only three meetings had been held. What was the executive? It was not a governing body under the rules.

A delegate: An indenting agency. Mr Benson : "No, it is not, for it would hay© gone out of business long ago. Its main function is to meet two or three times a year and have copies of letters that have not been sent out read to them/’ t Another thing was that if the centre did not appoint a delegate ‘ the council could do so whether tho contres wanted it ov not. The council was certainly farcical body, and he did not intend to waste one minute of his time in such useless work. His centre could get supplies direct from London for less than tho council charged them. No steps had been taken to advance the practical work and the centres could carry on quite well without tho body. The speaker was not at all proud of his seat on the executive. WHOSE FAULT? Mr R. G. Howell: Is the fault with the constitution or the members? Mr Benson: I think the fault is with the constitution and the members as well. It was found after the luncheon adjomnment that tho rule governing the motion to abolish the Dominion executive was inoperative. The first portion of the W cllington remit, that the executive be reconstituted, was carried. j j j* l6 motion of Mr Atkinson it was decided to set up. a sub-committee to draw up a revised constitution and to place tho recommendations before the conference on Friday morning.