PIPING AND DANCING ASSOCIATION.

Otago Witness, Issue 3912, 5 March 1929, Page 6

PIPING AND DANCING ASSOCIATION.

“A SPLIT IN THE CAMP.” A special meeting of the Otago Centre of the Piping and Dancing Association of New Zealand was held in the Y.M.C.A, rooms on February 25. The president, Mr J. W. Young, was in the chair, There was a large attendance of mem: bers.

The special business of the meeting wag to consider the following motion, of which notice had been given:—“That in accord? ance with the association rule 45 (a) that the whole of the officers and all other members of the centre executive, ag elected at the annual meeting of the centre, be removed from office forthwith as a body, and that other officers and all other members of the executive bq elected forthwith in their place to carry on the business of the executive until thq next general meeting of the centre.” The roll was first called, and the financial position of several members questioned. also their standing as to a right to vote. One member had apparently joined the association just prior to the expiration of the financial year, and 1 rather heatedly asserted that they would get no 10s from him. The chairman said that it was not reasonable to expect the member to pay under the circumstances. The chairman said he was very sorry indeed that such a meeting had been called.

Mr F. Cheyne rose and proposed that the meeting go into committee. He did so to test the feeling of the meeting. He thought matters to come before them should be dealt with in committee. Mr K. Cameron seconded the motion, and said he thought that a lot of “nasty stuff” would be said, and he did not think that, for the sake of the association, what was said should be reported. The chairman said tha 4 at the last meeting of the executive it had been decided that the press ghould be invited to ■attend the meeting. A member said that there had been a lot of unscrupulous work going on, and tbe public should know what transpired at the meeting. Another member expressed a strong desire that the word unscrupulous should be withdrawn, but matters were allowed to proceed. Mr Yardley said many statements would be made and matters happen that should not be reported. Things would come out that would not do any good to the centre.

The motion was then put and 25 hands were shown in its favour and 25 against it. The chairman gave his casting vote against it. and declared it lost. Calls were made for a re-count, and on it being made the decision was reversed, and the motion declared carried by a narrow margin. The remainder of the meeting was therefore taken in committee. An amendment was moved and seconded to the effect that certain members of the executive be removed from office, and others be elected in their stead. A further amendment was moved that the meeting request Mr Cheyne to appoint three members and the chairman, three members to go into the whole matter, and prepare a report within a month. The second amendment was put and lost, and a ballot taken in connection with the first, which was also lost. The motion was then put by ballot with the result that 31 voted in favour of it and 24 against it., The motion was carried.

The chairman said he regretted the vote had gone the way it had. Why they had put the executive out he did not know. The election’ of office-bearers was then proceeded with. Mr M'Kay was elected president, and took the chair. The other officials elected were: Vice-presidents— Messrs A. Wheeler, T. Johnston, and H. M. Allen; treasurer, Mr F. A. Cheyne; auditor, Mr L. Maclean; committee — Messrs G. Yardley, P. Davidson, and D. Livingstone; official pipers—Messrs A. Rayner, E. Agnew, A. Hastings, A. Dunn, R. Williams, J. Reid, K. Cameron, A. Cormack, W. H. M'Kenzie, J. Davidson, sen., R. Stewart, E. J. Bennett, C. Connoly, M. Campbell, and R. Cameron. The appointment of the secretary was held over. Several members declined nomination for positions.