BENEFIT SOCIETY

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLVII, Issue 236, 2 September 1927, Page 11

BENEFIT SOCIETY

PROPOSED FOR RAILWAYMEN. STATEMENT BY PREMIER. (By Telegraph.—Special to Standard.) WELLINGTON, Sept. 1. In reply to a question in the House of Representatives to-day the Minister for Railways, .Rt. Hon. J. G. Coates, made the following statement: ‘ ‘At the invitation of tho department the presidents and general secretaires of the Ariialgamated Society of Railway Servants, the Eriginedfivers, Firemen and Cleaners’ Association and the Tradesmen’s Association,' together with the staff member of the Railway Board, the chief accountant and the staff superintendent, met at the head office on May 13, 1927, for the purpose of; discussing the advisability of estab-' fishing a sick benefit society for members of the second division of tho service. After considerable discussion it was unanimously agreed that the formation of such a society was desirable and it was decided :o appoint a committee consisting of the secretaries of the three societies, the chief accountant of the Railway - Department and the staff superintendent of the Railway Department. Tho committee has held several meetings and discussed the constitution of the proposed society and drafted matter setting forth the objects of the society, the proposed rules and other matters incidental to the conduct of the society'. It having been ascertained' that a society on the lilies of the ’ one proposed to be established here- is operating in connection with the railways of Western Australia, that society was accordingly communicated with and requested to furnish full particulars of its constitution, etc. The desired information is now to hand and it is anticipated that the committee will meet at an early date to go further into the whole question. The committee has communicated with the secretaries of the various sick benefit societies now operating in connection with tlie railway service and it is proposed that the secretaries, or at least a number of the secretaries belonging to the larger of these societies will meet in Wellington at an early date in order to fully discuss the matter. So far as can be seen at present, there is a general desire for ilie establishment of the proposed society and it now-rests with the • committee to formulate a suitable scheme for the consideration of the societies and the department.”