THE MINERS' UNION AND MR. McGOWAN.

Thames Advertiser, Volume XXIX, Issue 9497, 28 November 1899, Page 4

THE MINERS' UNION AND MR. McGOWAN.

(To the Editor.)

■I'Sii': : I am instructed by the committee of the Thameß Miners' Union ta'ask if you will favor ithem by inserting in your paper the following deiual txfcertain statements madefy Mr. McGowan at Coromandel, which statements appear to the,committee as accusations':against the /executive of this union of having been guilty of misappropriation of funds. The following is the- report of .the statement made by Mr. McGowan as it appeared in the Coromandel paper of the 15th inst.:

"Mr. McGowan stated that at the same meeting or a similar meeting oi

inhere the expenses of the^presi,t of the union was placed at £9 ;6s, hiß. business being apparently to Coromandel with a certaihvParlianientary: candidate, and to disseminate) .'.misrepresentations concerning, himself as he had outlined." is of the opinion that they have good cause to feel annoyed at such a statement, and they are in a position to prove by docu-. mentary evidence that.there is not a grain of truth in it from first to last. The plain facts in connection with the president's visit to Coromandel on September 23 are: That on the 24th of August the central committee received the following letter from the Coromandel steward. "COROMANDEL, Aug. 22,1899.

"Dear Sir: At a meeting of this committee, held on"Saturday, August 12, when a full attendance of; the

newly-elected committee was present, the following resolution was carried: "That in jthe... event ;of ,anj unsatisfactory answer being received; from .Cap-. tairi : 'Hodge, a ; request be'macle to the Thames suggesting that the president interview.nCap'tain' 1 ' 'Hodge again before taking action." I quite agree with the above ,and am sure that a visit from the president at an early date to talk over matters, in connection with the welfare of'the union would be appreciated' J all members, as tho.'q\iefition'"-Iw'-freely asked, when is our> : president;coming again. I would.suggest Saturday}, the 23rd September,' 'aa'trie mosf suitable, day, that being pay the Hauraki group of'mine's.' ! A largo' attendance' of members and Others' would'be present. .;;Kthe;abovo ; date;wo'uld : suit: I would engage one of ; our halls for the meeting that night, and advertise it in one of our local papers I .' ,

'Tours' ih>unity;'-

O'.'JQHN.-FATHERS, Steward.

"^. ; E[[Lucas, rSecretarj', \ Thames Miners' Union." . ; i . ; . : . i ;. ... . ;i ,i :.. , This letter was laid before the central, committee here on August 25, and a resolution was passed that the request of the Coromandel committee be complied with, and that the president should also visit Kuaotunu and Opitonui at the same time. The committee are satisfied to leave the pub-

lie to judge from the above evidence the statement made by Mr. -~ McGowan, "That this union gave the

president £9 18s to ; travel through r'Cbroniandel with a certain Parliamen-

tary candidate, on political business/' is true'or false/*. You will observe that the resolution instructing him to visit .Cot onutndel was passed in response to

from : the. members in that and'also that the date of the r visitiwas fixed by them, and we think T-tbse evidence has proved beyond doubt

the visit was made in the interests, of: the union, and that only, and /in! conclusion the committee are of the that the only party guilty of "■misrepresentation in the matter is Mr. ' : McGowan himself. ii

By order of the committee, W. H. LUCAS, Secretary.