PRINTING TRADES

Evening Post, Volume LXXXIV, Issue LXXXIV, 23 September 1912, Page 3

PRINTING TRADES

'A SOCIAL EVENING. Letterpress printers, lithographers, and paper-cutters of Wellington held the annual dinner of their union on Saturday night, and at the same time tendered a reception to delegates from the trade in other centres at present visiting Wellington in connection with, the application for a Dominion award from the Arbitration Court. Mr. E. Sl'l/eary presided. In proposing "Kindred Trades," Mr. J. Irwin remarked that had this toast been proposed a year ago, hthoßrnphers end paper-cutters would have been included : now they were in one body. He urged the advantages of one great rohibination of all kindred trades. Such a federation would mean great strength, and a savingnof expense when they came before the Arbitration Court. Messrs. T. M'lntyre and W. Burns, who responded, supported the federation principles and hoped that it would receive favourable considerable from their respective unions. Further, reference to federation was tnade, by Mr. E. M'Leary, who proposed the toast of *:The Federation. Mr. J. W. Davidson, who responded, said that vthe best^way to advance tho principle was by ,in amalgamation of all sections of the trade in the various centres, and a federation of the whole. With such a body they might not find it necessary even to "go to the Arbitration Court ; by a conference with the employers they Would lio doubt secure — perhaps not all they wanted, because some wanted more than a fair thing' — but at any rate an advance on present conditions which were, in some cases, far from satisfactory. Responding to the toast of "The visitine; Delegates,'' proposed by Mr. H. Withinqton, Mr. A. Rosser (Auckland) , said that, with one strong printing trades union, there would be nothing to withstand their efforts to obtain 'not' only increased wages, but shorter hours. If they could not get this' otherwise they Would have to try to gain their etui through the legislature, as had been done before, The Hon. F. M. B. Fisher, Minister

in Charge of the Government Printing Office, was cordially received. He said that the Ministry of which he was a member had expressed 4he opiuioii in the Budget that the State should set tm example, and be a model employer, looking to it that' its employees were adequately paid and nob overworked. He hoped that there would bp some changes made before long for the good oi' employees of the State printing office. TheMinister advised the union to Work by the ballot-box to attain its ends. He, for one, would be glad to see an 'adefpiate number of labour represeiitutiws in the Parliament of New Zealaud, for there was a large section of the community at present inadequately represented. Though he could not elftim to be a lii» bour representative, his sympathies wer& very largely with the labouring .community, He wanted to help the men who .had borne thn burden and heat of the day for many years past. (Applause). A lnunbev of other .toasts were honoured, and the evening further enlivened with musical items and recitations.