MEETING ENDS IN UPROAR

Southland Times, Issue 23152, 19 March 1937, Page 6

MEETING ENDS IN UPROAR

GENERAL LABOURERS’

UNION

BOOKS ALLEGEDLY SEIZED

(United Press Association) AUCKLAND, March 18. Dissolved in an uproar as a number of men allegedly advanced and seized the books and other union property, a meeting at the Trades Hall of the Auckland and Suburban Local Bodies Labourers’ Union last night is stated to have been far from harmonious. An announcement was made at the meeting that a vote of no confidence in the executive members and secre-tary-treasurer (Mr Bernard Clews) had been lost in a postal ballot. Thereafter attempts to proceed with union business failed, and when the newly-elected president (Mr H. McSweeney) declared the meeting closed, the books were seized. It will be recalled that stormy scenes brought to an abrupt end a meeting of the union on January 22, when the then president (Mr J. Sercombe), together with Mr Clewsand other members, left the hall following a general disturbance. At the annual meeting on March 10 attended by 130 members, two financial members demanded a ballot on a noconfidence motion, and it was announced last night that the ballot had been lost by 249 votes. The new president appealed for unity, but attempts to carry on business failed, the president finally declaring the meeting closed. It is alleged that a number of men then seized the books and other property of the union,