ELECTION VOIDED

Otago Daily Times, Issue 26177, 13 June 1946, Page 4

ELECTION VOIDED

FEDERATION OF LABOUR OFFICE OF PRESIDENT DISCREPANCY IN VOTING (P.A.) WELLINGTON. Jane 12. Irregularities in the voting for the election of the new president of the New Zealand Federation of Labour were disclosed when the result of the poll was announced to delegates at the annual conference to-day. Consternation was caused when it was discovered that more votes had been cast than the voting strength of the conference permitted. ' The question was immediately raised whether some delegate or delegates had held more voting authorities than their union strength entitled them to receive. The poll was declared invalid, and another will be taken to-morrow. Such an occurrence is unprecedented in the history of the federation, and it was almost the sole topic of conversation in Wellington trade union circles to-night. Result of Invalid Poll In round figures the result of the now invalid poll was as follows:

This vote totalled roughly 250, whereas the full voting strength was about 10 fewer than this. Asked for a statement on the position, the secretary, Mr K. McL. Baxter, said there was no announcement to be made other than that the results of the election were not available, as they had not been determined. It is assumed among the delegates that Mr Croskery has every prospect of being returned in to-morrow’s Ballot. The result is determined by an exhaustive vote. Under this system, if the voting is roughly the same again -to-morrow Mr Young and Mr Butler will be eliminated, and the straighout issue between Mr Croskery and Mr Richards will be put to a further ballot. The result depends upon the placing of the vote of the delegates who. in the first instance, support Mr Young and Mr Butler-'and in the second instance will be required to vote for either Mr Croskery or Mr Richards. Right and Left Issue The result of the ballet is highly significant in assessing the immediate future of trade union policy. It has been generally assumed that the differences between the Right and Left in the industrial labour movement will be a major problem in the difficult postwar period. Mr Crpskery is regarded as the conservative candidate. He ;s at present vice-president of the federation and “father” of the Wellington Trades Hall with 35 years’ service '.o the trade union movement.

Mr Richards is a much younger man, advocating a vigorous Left wing policy for the workers. He is president < f the Otago Trades and Labour Council, the New Zealand Transport Workers’ Federation, and the National Tramway Employees’ Union. The Otago Trades Council recently issued a statement strongly attacking certain features of the stabilisation policy enunciated bv Mr F. P. Walsh as they affect workers in the post-war stabilisation plan.

Votes. Mr A. W. Croskery .. 110 Mt W. B. Richards 80 Mr F. G. Young 40 Mr P. M. Butler 20