MR FOURNIER IS OUT OF OFFICE.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 19109, 30 June 1930, Page 6

MR FOURNIER IS OUT OF OFFICE.

UNEMPLOYED HOLD COURT OF INQUIRY.

As the penalty for giving some facts to the newspapers concerning the plan for purchasing all the seats for the Rugby test by the unemployed, Mr S. Fournier has been removed from all offices in the Organised Unemployed Relief Workers' Committee. A court of inquiry was convened at the headquarters of this organisation yesterday; a charge was laid and Mr Fournier was summoned to attend. He did so, but after hearing the charge, declared that the meeting was unconstitutional, and departed. He has not been back since. An official statement covering the inquiry was made to-day by Mr H. Barnsley, who said that the meeting had been postponed for three-quarters of an hour to allow the attendance of Mr Fournier. An information had laid by the chairman of the committee, Mr W. H. Bayard, alleging that Mr Fournier “ did commit a serious breach of confidence in his committee.” The main allegation levelled agaipst Mr Fournier was a statement made by him in the presence of six committeemen, added Mr Barnsley, that Mr Fourner had taken deliberate advantage of the numerical weakness of the committee to carry out certain intentions which they deemed to be a contravention of the main rule of the organisation—that it was non-party and nonsectarian.

After hearing the evidence, the matter was discussed for an hour and a half and then the following decision was carried unanimously; “That Mr S. Fourner had no individual axithority to write or converse with the press or any outside individual on behalf of this organisation.” The committee then dealt with setbacks which had been received by collectors and several of these were examined. Concrete instances were presented and confirmed, continued the speaker, that as long as Mr Fournier was connected with the organisation, support would, be withheld. The committee then passed a resolution stating that Mr Fournier had no longer any authority to act or speak on behalf of the organisation. Mr Barnsley expressed the regret which the committee felt at losing the services of Mr Fournier, but the committee recognised and was sure that Mr Fournier must see, apart from the fact that he did not want to hear the evidence, that he had been a # serious stumbling block to the organisation’s efforts. _______________