CROWN TENANTS

Southland Times, Issue 21823, 28 September 1932, Page 3

CROWN TENANTS

NEW ZEALAND ASSOCIATION. SOUTHLAND BRANCH. A meeting of the executive committee of the recently formed Southland branch of the New Zealand Crown Tenants’ Association was held in Invercargill on September 22. The president (Mr D. J. Heenan) presided over the following:—Messrs T. McMath (Riversdale), Guy P. Chewings (Mossburn), L. M. Turvey (Te Wae Wae), A. J. Cameron (Wendonside), M. Hishon (South Hillend), R. Clark (Menzies Ferry) and R. E. Monteath (Gorge Road). Mr W. L. Cunningham (Castle Downs), Dipton, was present by invitation, and was appointed to the executive. Mr Cunningham thanked the members of the committee for his election.

The secretary reported that he had received a letter from the secretary of the Oamaru Returned Soldiers’ Association soliciting information regarding the Crown Tenants’ Association, and had advised him to get in touch with Mr C. W. Mackham, Dominion secretary. Later advices showed that there was every indication of a strong branch being formed in North Otago

The Crown tenants in the Waimatua locality have expressed a desire to have a sub-branch formed there, while a meeting has already been arranged by Mr R. A. Monteath for Crown tenants at Gorge Road. Mr McMath reported that at Gore recently a strong branch had been formed, and considerable interest was being displayed in that territory. Regarding the petition at present being circulated for signatures by members of the executive, it was decided, after some discussion, that this be addressed to the Speaker of the House of Representatives, not to the Minister of Lands, and the secretary was directed to communicate with the Dominion secretary in the matter. The secretary was also instructed to write local M.P’s., also the Dominion secretary, entering an emphatic protest on behalf of the association regarding the proposed repeal of the Act dealing with combines. It was decided to hold the next executive meeting on October 27.