Upstaging

Early in March a meeting was held to discuss how to organise the Wellington Region in light of the discussion at National Conference. The existing executive (elements of which were not totally sympathetic to Brunt) favoured the retention of interest groups combing within their ambit research and activist sections. Guy Salmon and John Bartram (both sympathetic to this approach) were delegated to meet next day to formulate an organisational plan for the executive to consider. At the conclusion of the meeting, strongly pro-Brunt elements of the executive stayed behind to inform Brunt that he was being upstaged again. The following morning Brunt contacted Bartram, telling him not to meet Salmon since Brunt himself was going to write a paper on Regional Organisation for the executive to consider. In response to a question Bartram was told by Brunt that he was not a liberty to disclose the contents of the paper at that stage. Bartram contacted Salmon who said that he had already been telephoned and told by Brunt that Bartram had decided not to meet him. Unhappy with this discovery, Bartram talked to as many members of the 19—man executive as he could, finding as a result of these discussions that Brunt, in an effort to gather support, had told some of them what was to be in his paper, the essence of which was that a 19—man executive was too large and that six of the current executive would have to go. Apparently Brunt cited as authority for this proposition a study he had read on the psychology of organisational efficiency.

Bartram reacted sharply by calling an executive meeting to discuss whether or not the decision of the previous executive meeting (empowering Bartram and Salmon to write a paper) should be reaffirmed. Brunt of course was invited but seemed uncertain of whether or not he should attend. After reversing his decision a number of times he decided to attend. The meeting was something of a fiasco. Brunt initiated the discussion by reading out his proposals for reorganisation. The present executive, he said, had been the vehicle for cliques (a veiled reference to those who opposed him) and lengthy time wasting discussion. "I have therefore reconstituted the executive." It was apparent to some of those present that the new executive was weighted more heavily with Brunt's friends than the old. "Executive members may feel," Brunt said, "my arbitary reorganisation is undemocratic and dictatorial. It is." Brunt went on to justify his being arbitary and dictatorial by claiming — at a meeting initiated by someone else — that he was the only one capable of initiating such a change. When he had concluded Bartram delivered a strong protest, claiming that Brunt's proposals and attitudes contradicted the Party's principles of participation and democratisation. Brunt's paper was not mentioned again and the meeting metamorphosed into encounter group therapy. Two of the proposed members of Brunt's proposed 12-man executive confessed during the session that they were in the Party because of personal problems, another that he was only in it for "an ego trip". Emotions rose to the surface and several people were in tears as a result. With the table groaning under the weight of collective guilt, reconciliation was achieved and Brunt was given the go ahead to form not only a Regional Body but also the National Secretariat — however he pleased.