THE SPLIT IN, THE SEAM-EN'S VISION,

Otago Witness, Issue 2310, 9 June 1898, Page 24

THE SPLIT IN, THE SEAM-EN'S VISION,

(FfiOM OtJB OWJS COHKESPONDENT.) Wellington, June 3. There is serious trouble in bhe Seamen's I Union, Mr Belcher, secretary o£ the Dunedin branch, came up here to remonstrate wibh. tha J local union, regarding the action- of their offiVfals, bub so far he has received rather a coid reoepbiau. Ab a crowded meeWug of tbe _ Wellington branch of the union lasb nighb, Mr ' Hindniarf-b (presidenb) in the chair, Mr Bel- , cher attended, and handed, ths president and secretary letters which stated that those officers had bean dismissed from their respective posiJ tious,, and requested thafc the key* belonging, to the union tie handed. over to him- (Mr Belchez). | Ifc was,, however,, resolved — " That this meeting j of the Wellington Branch of the federated Seamen's Union having heard fche contents of the letters handed by STc Belcher to the presid'enb (Mr Hindmarsh) and fche geeiekary (Mr Jones), hersby ihsfcrucfca bhe p-re-sidenfc' and secretary to refuse- to accede to fcher demands j confcainfidi therein." Mr Belcher, as secne- !> fcary o£ the head office of- the union, 1 now convenes a ms&iing, ot members for : to-morrow evening, to hear a- report; from jMs Belcher relative to- bhe unconstifcu|j feionaL defect! oxj thafc has occurred' in connection Lwifch, the Wellington, branch. Messrs. Hinu- {' marsh andi Jones are specially invited 1 to • attend 1 . To-fully understand the. driffc oE thesa j matters-, it musij be stated that Meesi-s Hindj marsh aad- Jones, the ioe&t officials of this Seai men's Union,, faavo kicked over the traces hi I rt-gacd. to- Ssddonism, and.' than; ab the last, election here they, refnsed- to be dictated- to by the Premier. One or- two- lively meetings. *.ra likely feu eventuate shortly. Am advertisement in>fche '• New Zealand Times, signed by Me Belcher, i referring to Messrs- Hindmarsa and Jonea as '; the late president and secretary, resgactiveiy, .'and referring to their dismissal 1 from office,, is I H&aly alfeo to furnish grounds tor unotb.ee libel action. Jane' s. The dismissal' of- Messrs- Hiudinacsh (presi,dent) andiJon«Bi(secretary)>'from; their respec- | tiv« posibionet in- the' Weilingtroa branch of tha j Federated! Sesraerfa Union- of Naw Zealand j came? up. again, last night, ab a meebiug cou- ' veneA by- Mr Belcher, secrebary- of' the genarai! ; body-, bo discuss "the-unconstißutlionai'det'ectioD • bhab hnx' occurred in connection- with bhe | Wellington branch. 1 " ABoub 50i members were ' presentr. Mr Belcher, ■who'oame from- Dunedin ! sspHoiallyaiistructed 1 in thfa matber;, addressed 1' the meeting ab' leDgth'a* to the alleged violation | of tha constitution of the union by bhe Welling- ' Sen branch. 'JHtts chief allegabious were bhafc a ' libel aefciow hadl been taken «gainafe> bhe< New i Zealand Timeaj whioh meanb the diversion | of th« funds fijom, bheip proper use; and bhab bhe branch had nofc obtained permission- fbr'tfhe action ifc hsd taken. ~" Further., bhab. bhe action 'of the braoch would tend to foster. a.apirifc oi ibsubord'in&tion and bring tha chief" body into ridicule amongst its members. Anofchar charge agai'ust the- branch was bhafc fche secretary had' neglected! fco forward' his' returns as !' provided under the constitution. Afc the' conj' elusion of Mr Bsloher's address a lbn^ discussion took- pUice, and a. motion was" tabled fco the effect that fche meeting deplores fche r defection axjating ia fche Wellington, branch I ,. and having heardt Mr Belcher's, explanation* ia oi opinion bhab fche dismissal; of fche president and secretary of the. Wellington, branch- is justifiable under, fche. constitution of. fche union as regisI fcered' under fche acfc of 1875", and thafc fche | action of these officers in nofc submictiug returns fco tha otiof oiHcs is nofr consistent wifcn

; fche principle of union aos condneive to fcjbe i interests of fcbe union. This, after discussion, ; was negatived by a narrow majority, and fcbe ', I meeting, unsolved that the resolnfcie«r just aega* , i fciv«d be referred- to a. hailofc of the whole of bhd ; members- cf the- union. The meeting then ; posed.

Messrs Hindmarsh and Jones, -vtio grerf especially iavifced by Mr Belcher 1 to attend thl; meeting, «*ere not; preterit.