Free Association.

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Issue 7159, 6 September 1894, Page 3

Free Association.

ANNUAL MEETING.

* The fourth annual meeting of the Free Association of Employers and Workmen of Hawke's Bay was held in the offices of the Chamber of Commerce this afternoon. Present—Messrs W. Nelson (president), E. D. D. M'Lean, ST. Kettle, J. Sandtmann, H. Baker, A. M'Hardy, V 7. J. Willcocks, J. Craig, M. E. Groome, E. Evans, F. 8. Waterhoase, O. Brown, W. K. White, G. M. Motris, F. C. Fulton, T. M. Moore, J. E. Lanauze, E. W- Knowles, J. W. Craig, U. M. Clark, P. Dinwiddie, and J. K. Goudy. BBPOET. "With this report the association enters upon its fifth year of existence, and in looking baok upon its career it may fairly claim to have accomplished all that it promised at its inception. It will be recolleoted that it was formed for the purpose of establishing permanent and mutually beneficial relations between all classesof workersandemployers, and up to the present these relations have been maintained. Worfaiag members of this association have all along worked side by side with unionist members in this district, and have enjoyed that fraedom in work which vrould not have now existed but for the formation of this association. That the workers appreciate this association is illustrated by the fact that it has now on the roll 2116 members, of whom 40 joined during the year. The association has lost two members by resignation and four by death. Several Labor Bills before the present seesion of Parliament have been duly considered by your council. A circular waa issued to employers re shops and shop assistants, in connection with tho half holiday; the majority replied in favor of Saturday afternoon for closing. The Shearers' Accommodation Bill was considered unnecessiry, but in any case, us printed, quite unworkable, through the requirements being different in certain districts. Xour council considered that the bill placed too much power in the handg of inspeotoi-3 and Stipendiary Magistrates; also that employers should have tha right of appeal to a higher Court. Some alterations were made in the Seamen and Shipping Bill. The resolutions of the council were forwarded to the members in charge of the bills, the members for the district, and the prinoipal Employers' Associations in the colony. While the colony has had an immunity from strikes and trade disturbances, your council notice with some alarm the continued troubles in Australia between unionists and free laborers in connection with shearing. The outrages on the free laborers at Wiloannia and other places are to be deplored, and it is to be hoped that the Governments of New South Walee and Queensland will use a firm hand in suppressing these outrages. Your council reciprocates the goodfellowship shown by the Pastorilists' Association of New South Wales, and the Canterbury and Auokland Employers' Associations.

The labor bureau attached to the association continues in its good work. 224 situations were satisfactorily filled during tho year, being an increase of 31 on last year. The following were the situations filled, viz , 1 bullook driver, 1 engine driver, 2 wool olaaaers, 5 shearera, 7 gardeners, 10 wool presses, 14 shepherds, 21 married couples, 24 lads, 27 ploughmen, 45 cooks, and 67 station hands and general laborers. Early in the year the council arranged, in deference to a request from an employer, that where agreements between employer and worker were required, the secretary had authority to draw out same when employers specially asked for it, and forma have been printed for this purpose. The accident fund has been administered with the usual careful attention. Oompensition hag been paid to 14 members of the association, affording relief and satisfation to the Recipients. The balance-sheet shows fall details of reoeipts and expenditure, and will be found attached. In retiring from their labors, your council oxpresses a hope that the coming year will be as peaceful as the one now closad. Wμ. Nblbon, resident. BALANOB-BHHET. Receipts.—To balance brought from last year, Ist September, 1593, £525 7s 3d; subscriptions, £232 ; iatereet on fixed deposits, £21 15s; total, £82!) 2s 3d. Expenditure.— By accident fund, payments made, £00; advertising, £34 10s ; stationery, £5 Ils2d ; salary, £125; postages, telegrams, and sundries, £21 14s Gd ; auditors' fees, £2 2s; rent of office, £15; cifh on fixed deposit, twelve months, £450 ; cash in bank, £122 4b 7d ; less uupreseuted cheques, £7 ; totel, £32'J 2a 3d. In moving the adoption of the report and balance-sheet the Chairman paid there was very little left for him to say, but ho would like briefly to refer to tho appreciation in which tho association was held. In a small district like Hawfce'a Bay tho addition of forty members during tho yoar spoke well for tho estimation in which tho Ris'joiation was held. Ho would lilio to bo a little clearer ac to whsfc Parliament was likoly to do in legislation with reger.i to associations of this hiud. Tho 1 .b )T members in thu Eouw, ho was pleaded to nay, hud ehonn a lifctlo common seueo, Htid evidenced no desire to upset the whole creation as was generally thought would be the ciiso when they wero elected. On the othev baud, there was a number of " fras bugs" in liio House who wanted to blow up every tiruy. H-nno pooplo H>id tho association was of no ueo, but ha (iboishiiirnmn) was of opi'iio-t t'.iiit ho long as t'uoy jKotr-veod peacefully >rjd kept duw.'i strikes Ulu ut- ocutiuu good. '■'Iα belief ■vnvj I ii at t'to workmen, must have s irae rallying pi hit, anil tljuy mi&rlit just an wcl! ral'y round an n-.-ociiiti.ui ol 'hi. 1 ' Idod »« ; any o''i(; •, u-jd ia tyjit they woro i d'/'Dg goud. luo wuccess of the IliI) r buteiu boi-o this out if tho meeociatiou I wero only n-eogni'cd throughout tho district by erop'oyers of 1-iboc and ntatioa holders, r this branch of the organisation would be ! rendered at :| l tnoro useful. Tho ba'uncoshoet thowtd an increase of funds,

principally tho expenditure duo to having been rjilueed. the tub;cr;ptions had fulion sHghtly, which he regretted. It W'iul'l bo very uju-;h wi.-er to heep the association going wirh voluntary subscriptions thaa etaud tho chance of lotting it drop altogether.

Mi- O. M. Morris eecouded the motion for the adoption of the report and balanoesheet—Carried.

ELECTION OF OFFICEB3

All tho ofliiern and coencii of last year were re-elected as follows: —President Mr W. Nelson; vioe-presideut, Me J. El. Oolemin ; treasurer, Mr N Kettle ; oonooil, Messrs John Bennett, J. V. Brown, O. J2. Beetham, John Beateon, O irtwright Brotvn, W. A. Ooupar, T. M. Chambars, John Craig, P. Dinwiddie, A. Davidson (Capt ), Edward Evans, F. O. Fulton, J. X Goudy, W. T Irvine, N. Kettle, E W Knowles, G. M. Mortis. S. D. D. McLean, P. P. McLean, A John McVay, B PufiVtt, G Rymer W. H Smith, O. Oranby, G. 3- V. Wenlay.W. J. "Wuloocka, H. Williams. J. N. Williams.

In acknowledging his re-election to the position of of president, Mr Nelson said he ought to attend more regularly than ho did, as the miti who taken the honor and glory of a position should certainly do somethiog for it; but if the members were satisfied with him he would comply with their wishes to take the position for another term. A vote of thanks to tie chair terminated the proceedings.