ENGINEERS' SOCIETY.

Auckland Star, Volume XXI, Issue 4124, 22 September 1883, Page 2

ENGINEERS' SOCIETY.

Anniversary Social fathering.

The local branch q$ foe- Amalgamated Society of Engulf), Machinists, Smiffis, &c, celebrated its anniversary last evening I by a most enjoyable social gathering in the Lome-street Hall. There was a good attendance of both sexes, the number present being something like 75 couplas. la accordance with the usual custom, the whole company sat down to an eicellenfc supper, which was provided in the anteroom by Mr T. McEwea, of the (% Buffet, — Mr Pye presided, white the vice-chairs were fUled by Messrs Porter and Ballantine, Messrs McCoskrie and and Elliott, the employers, Mr J. J. Hunter the Bricklayers' Society, awl Mr the Carpenters' Society. ■ An apology was veceived for non-attewariba from J\lr T. T. Masefield. Loyal toaste were given and responded to, and Mr Porter then proposed "The Employess." In thft course of his remarks, he referred to tha fact that brighter prospects were no* s: ensured by the working of ironsand her»> ;: and tho arrival of large direct steamers, Mr McCoskrie responded, congratulating the Society pn, the progress it was making ia strength, andminibers. He believed thetrwb in Auckland was f ar behind the South, *Ac» Vwy had bettov tools and more of them. The speaker referred to the fact that many young men who had served their apprenticeships here had since gone to Sydney and Melbourne, where they wevs ?ow occupying good positions, and concluded by expressing the opinion that with the advance o£ tho colony the. Engineers—masters and men—would increase in wealth»ndstrengtb» —Mr El\iptt, foreman of the Railway. Locomotive Department, also respndea.—The; I toasts of the "Visitors"by the Chairman, an* I the " Amalgamated Society of Engines * Iby Mr Tudehope, followed. Replying to th* latter* th,e Chairman pointed out the-.advan-V>gcs derivablo from connection, with the: Society. He said that in laSl there were 4ii, 000 odd on the roll; now the number had increased to 49,700, all itded by one tried code. In ISSI there \^re4l2branches;3o2; in England, 41 in Scotland, 14 in Ireland, 9 ift Australia, 0 in. Canada, 4 in New Zealand* lin France and 37 in the United States. In 1881 i-23,000 had been distributed to/ men out of employment, the number vary ing from 700 to 1,400 men ; and in cases or sickness no less than i' 57,000 was distributed last year. The other toasts were "Kindred Societies," "Ladies," " Press,""aad "The Host," This concluded the supper pw grammo, and an adjournmentw«sthenm»d» to the hall, where dancing vs# commenced without further delay, ar,d continued daring the night. Messrs \lerris, Davidson, and. Reed contribute^ die music, while Mr J* Ballantinc a'<Wd as M.C, Songs were rendered ;iuring the evening by Mr and Miss T-ye, Messrs Russell, Davis, Spiers, R?^cKay, and P. Smith, The committee by , whom the arvwigenjents W ere earned out consisted of ilessrs Pye, Balloutine, Donnojliy, Pounder, Orriugton, Siena* av.(J Porter (secretary). In addition to W> | statistics already quoted, it may be sttMffi that the Wai branch of the Society, M» been w existence 19 years, and, now possesses C 4 members. The benefite ««' very liberal, no less than £300 being p»* to a member if permanently disabled lw>»' work, while there is a j)ravw.ion,.for a,W^| , superannuation allowance independent Cv/; private income.