LABOUR'S MESSAGE OF SYMPATHY.

Otago Witness, 1 June 1910, Page 19

LABOUR'S MESSAGE OF SYMPATHY.

ME ROSSER CENSURED. AUCKLAND, May 26. A meeting of the Trades and Labour Council last night warmly debated the action of Mr A. Rosser, who is president of the local branch and also president of the Dominion Executive, in sending the following telegram to the Prime Minister to be forwarded to the Queen Mother on the occasion of the death of King Edward : . On behalf of the Dominion Executive of the Trades and Labour Council accept our deepest sympathy on the loss to the Empire by the death of King Edward. As Prince he took an active interest in the housing of the poor of London; as King he was essentially a peacemaker. May his successor follow in his footsteps. Mr Rosser presided. When the meeting opened a motion censuring Mr Rosser for sending the telegram without consulting the Auckland branch resulted in 17 votes each way. Mr Rosser gave his casting vote against it. A further resolution was moved on similar lines, which Mr Rosser ruled out of order,, stating that he had acted on' behalf of the Dominion Executive, and not on behalf of the Auckland branch. He was in Christchurch at the time, and did not think that the Labour members of the Auckland branch would .have been less patriotic than their brethren elsewhere. Mr Rosser's tailing was disputed, and another chairman" was appointed. The vote of censure was then again moved and carried by a narrow majority.

STATEMENT BY MR ROSSER. AUCKLAND, May 26. Mr Rosser, on being asked if it were true that he had been requested to resign from his position as president of the Dominion Executive of the Trades and Labour Council, replied that it is a fact that such a resolution was carried by the Auckland Trades Council last night. There were 34 members present, and the voting was 17 on each side in the first place. A vote of censure was moved and seconded, the wording of which was : " That tfiis council passes a vote of censure on the president (Mr A. Rosser) for his action in sending a telegram of condolence to the Prime Minister on the death of the King without consulting, this executive." Continuing, Mr Rosser said : " As chairman I ruled that, inasmuch as I had sent the telegram as president of the Dominion Executive, and not as president of the Auckland- Trades Council, the matter had no right to be discussed, and I therefore ruled the motion out of order; My ruling was disputed, and on a temporary chairman being appointed, I explained my reasons for ruling as I did. On a vote being taken the objection to my ruling was sustained on the casting vote of the temporary chairman. The vote of censure was then formally moved and carried, but I can't recollect the number of the members who voted. However,- it was a very narrow majority. The seconder, of the resolution stated that I should have referred the matter to the executive in Auckland. At the time of sending this wire I was in Christchurch, and if it had been referred to the Auckland Executive no message of condolence whatever would have been sent. After the vote of censure had been passed, another motion was brought forward, asking me to resign my position as president of the Dominion Executive. I was then in the chair, and I gave my casting vote in favour of the resolution that I be asked' to resign, for I could see that the meeting was bent upon achieving its object—viz., the ousting of me from the position of president at all costs. I was in Christchui'ch when the news of the King's death came, and in the daily press there were scores of resolutions of sorrow at the loss the Empire had sustained, and the flags were at half-mast on the Canterbury labour offices. Not wishing that the Labour party should be deemed less loyal than other large sections of the community, I sent the telegram on my own responsibility, never dreaming but that my action would be endorsed by the. executive. Several Labour me!n in the south to whom I showed the telegram approved of what I had done, and I had no idea that the unionists in the north were less patriotic than our brethren in the south. Some weeks ago I took similar action with regard to a cable of congratulation to Mr Andrew Fisher, the Federal Prime Minister, on the success of the Labour party at the polls, and my action then was unanimously approved of by resolution. On this occasion, however, I am accused of not consulting the executive in the course that I took."