NOT ACCEPTED

Otago Daily Times, Issue 27241, 18 November 1949, Page 8

NOT ACCEPTED

Official’s Resignation Watersides's’ ' Turbulent Meeting PA AUCKLAND, Nov. 17. , By a narrow margin, members of the Auckland branch of the Waterside Workers’ Union decided at a stopwork meeting to-day not to accept the resignation of their vice-president, Mr N. Donaldson. When Mr Donaldson tendered his resignation last month, it is understood his grounds were dissatisfaction with the manner in which the policy of the union was being interpreted. The motion before the meeting, one of the most largely attended for some time, was that the resignation should be accepted. It is reported that the discussion was stormy, voting was by divisions into ayes and noes. and tne branch decided by only a few votes not to accept it. Arguments continued as the men leit the Town Hall, and a fight almost developed on the footpath, where two separate groups formed. It is considered that the decision marks an important step in the turbulent domestic politics of the, branch, and that it can be construed as a vote of confidence in Mr Donaldson, who has been vice-president of the branch since 1948. Recently r he unsuccessfully opposed Mr H. Barnes, Auckland and national president, for nomination as the next New Zealand president, but he is one of the “ moderate group of Auckland members who will represent the branch as national councillors at the biennial conference of the New Zealand Imion opening in Wellington on December 6.