Southland Sawmill Workers

Maoriland Worker, Volume 12, Issue 303, 20 December 1922, Page 13

Southland Sawmill Workers

At the last general meeting of the. Southland Sawmiil Workers' Uruoit' Mr. T. Breayley 'occupied the chair! and there was a good attendance o£\ members. ''■•';

A communication was received from,"/ the Inspector of Factories, Dunedin,sta.ti.mg that he w|as making full inquiries into alleged breaches -of theJ award in-Catlins River district. The] Inspector of Awards, Invercargill? also wrote stating that he had collect-;* ed-fronra sawmiller in the Western! District £43/7/- in track wages. Sev-j eral. letters were received from mein-j hers in the Catlins District thanking;] the 'Union for collecting payments un-i| der the Compensation Act. '

The secretary stated that the caseV «against the Otautau Timber Co. on be-] half of jVlrs. Oonnell, widow of the late? Chas. Sollenn, who lost, his lifer through-an accident at the Otautau/ sawmill, had been settled; the com* pany paying £1100 in full settlement,) covering all Union solicitor's costs. )

; ! The settlement was as follows:—■' £950 to the widow, £50 to the rapther of the deceased and £100 for solid-] tor's costs. The Union did practically the whole of the work and in the end settled the' case, not charging one penny for expenses. This goes to showj the large savings- to the members every year in connection with 'cases under the Workers' Compensation Act." Mr. O'Byrne also stated that the opposition had gene behind the Uniorrts b.ack in getting hold of the widow a&d her father, and had induced them to' sign off for a sum less than the widow bein-g under the age p|J||; years, the Union was able to upset tfie* case,- hence the company hstvißg pay'over another £600, which woulji have been lost only for the UnioxPs? activities. " '■-*.;

The secretary was thanked an<l it lxj[s actions endorsed for making - sueS $ satisfactory settlement. -- \

The secretary stated he had visited a number of mills in the Western Dig-, trict, enrolling 15 members, and fo.* the" present year £550 had been received in members' subscriptions. . >

Several nominations for official po-j sitions for 1923 were received, andli these will be- ballotted on at the aH-l nual meeting in Invercargill on De*/ cember 30.