UNION SECRETARY MISSING.

Otago Witness, Issue 3115, 26 November 1913, Page 23

UNION SECRETARY MISSING.

CFrom Due Own Con respondent. ) WANGANUI, November 2L Considerable uneasiness has been oo» casioncd among the local waterside worker® by the unexplained absence of the union secretary, A. J. Smith. Ho was last seen on Tuesday afternoon about ft o'clock, lie hail that afternoon posted a notioo in tha waiting room calling a meeting of the union for 7.30 that evening. Some 40 or 50 mem-> bers, including tho president, attended ill® meeting, but although they waited for so in® time, the secretary did not put in an appearance, and the meeting dually had to bo abandoned, the president stating that as no books were available no business could bo transacted. This was at 8 o’clock. A motion was proposed that the secretary bo allowed a further quarter of an hour’s grace, but this was rejected almost unanimously. On Wednesday no trace of Mr Smith could be found, and representatives of the union who visited his ‘‘batch” report'd that: Ih* place appeared to be empty. They also toported seeing the remains of somo paper or papers that had apparently been burned. Yesterday there was no sign of the missing man. In addition to being secretary to tho local union, Mr Smith is also a member of tho executive and treasurer of the Waterside Workers’ Federation. It was lie who a few days ago moved in the direction of inducing members of the union to express disapproval of tho federationpresident and secretary in declaring a policy of loyal adherence to tho Arbitrating Act. Later, a# a full mooting of the executive, he reversed his attitude, and voted to endorse the action that had been taken.