ES ia c/o iN \\ mn E \ Mr. Stuart, Stewart Research Services,” Royal Bank Bldg., Vancouver, B. Co. Page dealing with financial ™money was deliberately withheld from the financial statement pre- sented to the district convention of the Mine, Mill and Smelter Work- ers’ Union, (CIO-CCL). This disclosure was made in Vancouver last week, Most significant resolution of the entire convention was one © from an interior local, which _ asked that the regional director ~” (Murphy) be elected by the membership and not appointed by the International, This was an obvious move to put the membership in the pos’ tion of themselves rejecting Mur- phy, without having to go to the International convention. Writs Served At the same convention, Mur-' phy and two others were served with writs (statement of claim) in connection with the $9,000 re- covery suit now being brought by Local 1-71, IWA. The three served were H. Mur- phy, J. Moffatt, district president, and Ken Smith, secretary-treas- urer, and the IWA states that the $9,000 was in a cheque signed by Don Barbour and N. C. Madsen, in October, 1948, * Murphy told the daily press that the action of withholding the page was taken because the suit made the whole thing “sub judice”. IWA District officials classed this as “a feeble excuse, for heing afraid to tell the mem- bership the truth.” Harry Whelan, Kimberley dele- gate, said that he had seen photo- static copies of cheques totalling more than $31,500 dollars which had been paid 'to the Mine, Mill and Smelter Workers union for IWA funds. Delegates from Kimberley and Trail, who represent half of the . Mine, Mill 8,000 membership in B.C., were obviously disquieted about the missing section of the financial statement, which they insisted be accepted only as a partial report. Auditors Replaced It was revealed, too, that the Mine, Mill constitution has been Violated by allowing the Trade Union Research Buréau to audit the finances, The constitution calls for -a tered accountant. The Bur- eau is not so pea the con- vention was told by Bert Marcuse a director of the organization, which, until the change in leader- ship of the IWA, also audited the ‘A books, (district and locals), An attempt was made to alter constitution ve the Trad 1949. Declared elected: President: J. Stewart Als- transactions of $31,500 in IWA { bury. : ROADSIDE " Local 1-357, New Westminster— | BALLOTING Ist Vice-president: Tom Bradley. Loca] 1-217, Vancouver— 2nd Vice-president: Joe Morris. Local 1-80,Duncan— 3rd Vice-president: Robert Watters. Local 1-217, Vancouver— Secretary-treasurer: Geo. H. Mitchell. Local 1-357, New Westminster— International Board Mem- ber: Tom G. MacKenzie. Local 1-217, Vancouver— Six-year McEwan. Local 1-71, Vancouver— Four-year Trustee: Jack S. Trustee: James a Ee Squire. Behe oe ioe Local 1-85 Port Alberni— ROADSIDE BALLOTING was conducted by Local 1-423, Kelowna, evory ene Trustee: Neil E. when refused admission to company premises. Shaw. Local 1-367, Mission— g Stuart Hodgson, financial sec- T E RIN ET F R IWA retary Local 1-217, and Chairman U of the District Balloting Com- mittee, with his fellow-members FIGHT TO REGAIN $200,000 Leo Young (Local 1-71) and Chas. Spooner (Local 1-357), ex- pressed gratification over "the IWA fight to regain control of all its rightful | Wid¢spread interest, reflected’ in finances and property is coming to a head. é + Mid-April is the approximate date set for the Supreme Court trial in Vancouver of the main Dis- trict action against the renegade officers, officials e LEADERS FOR 1949 PROGRAM MISSING PAGE OF UNION AUDIT DEALT WITH $30,000 IWA FUNDS The referendum ballot of IWA members in British Columbia has named the officers who will lead the fight in The results of the province-wide balloting were an- nounced by the three-member District Balloting Commit- tee, on completion of the count, Monday. in B.C, Ballot boxes were made available to our members in every corner of the lumber industry. The record vote revealed a heal- thy and democratic state of af- fairs in the IWA, It provides conclusive proof that the IWA is the genuine voice of the lumber workers in this province, and can act decisively on their behalf.” IWA WAGE CONFERENCE APRIL.2 The IWA Wages and Con- tract Conference for 1949 will be held in the Arcadian Hall, Main and 6th, Vancou- ver, on April 2 and 3. The District Executive Board will meet at 10 a.m. on the morn- ing of April 2. The Wages and Contract Conference comprised of the delegates from all the Lo- cals will be convened the same afternoon, and continue the fol- lowing morning. After the con- ference adjourns the District Ex- ecutive Board will re-convene on the afternoon of April 3rd. The newly elected District of- ficers will take office and be in- stalled on this occasion. In preparation for the confer- ence, steps are being taken to examine the feasibility of a shorter working day in order to spread available employment. “On behalf of the District Bal- of the so-called “WIUC”. a loting Committee, I wish to ex- press appreciation of the manner Thereafter, events in the legal baitle, involving more than $200,- in which the balloting was con- ducted by all Locals of the WA 000 and the IWA has about 12 suits in hand, will follow rapidly. A. T. R. Campbell, IWA coun- sel, stated to the B.C, Lumber Worker this week, that every ef- fort will be made to obtain deci- sions in all actions with the mini- mum of delay. ‘There were two major develop- ments this week on the legal front: Sheriff’s officers gained pos- sesion of the “Loggers” Navy, and the boat was brought to Vancouver. Writs were served -on_three Mine, Mill and Smelter Work- ers’ union officials, in the midst of their Vancouver convention, in connection with Local 1-71’s $9,000 suit against them. Operation Sheriff ‘The Loggers’ Navy was “spot- | ted” lying at Stuart Island, in the area of the famous Ucla- taw Rapids, The Sheriff’s officers went by plane and took over receivership of the vessel on behalf of the Su- preme Court, pending outcome of the court action, The 1-71 action against peo | officers will be one of the first to follow the