Protests At Non-Appearance Of Delegates To Farmers' Meeting

Northern Advocate, 29 November 1947, Page 4

Protests At Non-Appearance Of Delegates To Farmers' Meeting

WHANGAREI TRADES COUNCIL

(By “Industrialist”)

DEEP regret was expressed at this month’s meeting of the Whangarei Trades Council at the non-appearance of delegates appointed to attend the last meeting of the Bay of Islands Sub-province of the Federated Farmers.

Arrangements had been made with the Auckland Trades Council for a member of the Waterside Workers’ Union to attend the meeting, because the Whangarei council felt that the delegates should be men who were well versed in the subject and should also have practical knowledge.

An Auckland delegate was appointed to go north, but it is understood in Whangarei that he was prevented owing to important and urgent business arising within the union.

The Whangarei Trades Council is to write to the Auckland Waterside Workers’ Union voicing a protest that the farmers’ meeting had been disappointed. A further communication is to be sent to the Bay of Islands Sub-pro-vince offering apologies and expressing the hope that a meeting can be still arranged at the Federated Farmers’ next meeting in Kaikohe.

Government should make some move to see that the costs were kept within the present wage rates.. Taking part in these discussions, with the local engineers, were the national president of the union (Mr S. Glading) and the Auckland provincial organiser (Mr F. Catt). Mr Glading spent considerable time outlining the work of the union, and explaining many domestic matters affecting

“NOT NEGOTIABLE” CHEQUES In response to an application made by the Whangarei Trades Council through the Federation of Labour to ‘ the Postmaster-General (Mr Hackett), asking that facilities be made available in post offices for the acceptance of ‘not negotiable’ cheques, the following letter has been received from Mr Hackett:

“I have had the position regarding the acceptance of ‘not negotiable’ cheques very fully investigated. You will appreciate that the law of ownership of ‘not negotiable’ cheques comes into the matter as well as the clearance issue which you mentioned, and hence the legal position required a thorough investigation before a decision could be reached.

“I am pleased to be able to inform you that it has now been found possible to relax considerably the restrictions on the acceptance of ‘not negotiable’ cheques. “They will in future, be accepted in circumstances similar to those in which they would be accepted ip the trading banks.

“The post office, in order to safeguard public funds, will have to impose some restrictions on the acceptance of ‘not negotiable’ cheques as, of course, the trading banks do. “For instance, a ‘not negotiable ’ cheque payable to a private individual will be accepted for the credit of the savings-bank account of, say, the Whangarei Workers’ Union, but, one payable to the Whangarei Workers’ Union will not be accepted for the credii of an account of a private individual Similarly a cheque payable to a firm will not be accepted for the credit of the account of a member of the firm, nor will a cheque payable to trustees be lodged to the credit of one of the trustees. “I feel sure,” concludes Mr Hackett, “that you will find that the new procedure, although it does not permit 'not negotiable’ cheques to be paid into any account, will overcome the difficulties which have been encountered in the past.”

RESIGNATION APPOINTMENT The resignation of Mr W. Rolands from the position of secretary was received at this month’s meeting of the Whangarei branch of the New Zealand Workers’ Union. Mr Rolands also surrendered his positions on the Whangarei Trades Council and the Marsden LRC. Mr J. Roos was elected to fill all the vacancies caused by Mr Rolands’ resignation. The president (Mr G. Pulham) voiced the regret of members that Mr Rolands had been compelled to relinquish his executive positions and extended thanks on behalf of all members for the valuable assistance that he had given to the union.

members. Increased costs of living was also the subject of long discussion at this month’s meeting of the Whangarei branch of the New Zealand Workers’ Union. Comments were made by a number of members on the present consumer prices and it was claimed by several speakers that the present wage rate was not high enough to cover ordinary living costs. It was also decided to ask the head office of the union what action was being taken in regard to the increase of 10/- a week which was pronounced by the Arbitration Court recently. * * » « HALF HOUSES A reply has been received from the Minister of Works (Mr R. Semple) to the communications sent to Wellington advocating favourable consideration by the department concerned in regard to the construction of half houses by carpentry trade trainees, for their own occupancy. The Minister explained that, owing to the large variety of houses being constructed in the'state house scheme, it was considered unnecessary to undertake the construction of part houses. Both the Trades Council and the Marsden LRC had given support to | the scheme as suggested by the trade training instructor (Mr C. Homer) whereby the trainees under Mr Homer’s supervision would construct, in their own time houses, which, it was suggested, could be added to, at a later date, when materials became more easily obtainable. * * & * HOLIDAY CAMP Many complimentary remarks were ] passed at this month’s meeting of the I Whangarei branch of the New Zealand! Workers’ Union regarding the proposed i workingmen’s holiday camp to be j established near Whangarei. Members of the union expressed I their appreciation of the Whangarei Trades Council in being so willing to! undertake such an ambitious scheme I on behalf of workers and expressed I their desire to cooperate in establish- | ing the camp. Financial help will be! offered to the Trades Council at a later j date. !

COST OF LIVING Resolutions calling on the Government to exercise stricter control of prices, so as to keep the cost of living within the present wage rates, were carried unanimously at this month’s meeting of the Whangarei branch of the Engineers’ Union.

Members also decided to ask through the head office of the union, the Federation of Labour to institute proceedings for the obtaining of a further 10/a week rise in wages which would bring the amount to the full £1 originally sought by the federation. It was explained that a large number of tradesmen in many unions had not yet received the 10/- increase and were thus being seriously handicapped. Some members felt that, if the second application was not granted, the

GUMBOOTS In reply to the request of the Marsden LRC and the Whangarei Trades Council that additional supplies of gumboots be sent to Northland, the LRC has received a letter a letter from the Minister of Industries and Commerce (Mr A. H. Nordmeyer) setting out details of supplies that have been distributed and giving some idea of the others that are yet to come to hand. The Minister stated that 744 pairs of boys’ and mens’ gumboots were distributed among the W’hangarei agencies in August and a further supply of 300 pairs were despatched in September, lack of shipping space facilities preventing the arrival in Whangarei of any further supplies that month. Altogether, some 2052 pairs of men’s and boys’ knee gumboots were'forwarded to Northern Distributors Ltd. between June 19 and September 9 which, combined with the quantities also supplies through Auckland warehouses, had made reasonable provision to meet shortages in the Whangarei district. In addition to the supplies being made available continually from New Zealand production, consideration was being given to the advisability of permitting quantities to be imported during 1948. Careful consideration would have to be given to this, the Minister stated, because the purchase of bulk supplies would entail the expenditure of Canadian dollars.