PRIVATE BENEFIT SOCIETIES

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXIII, Issue 10085, 21 March 1896, Page 5

PRIVATE BENEFIT SOCIETIES

SEAM EM'S UNION DISSATISFIED. [Br TBLSGRAPU. —PRESS ASSOCIATION. I Wellington, Friday. At a meeting of the Trades and Labour Council a letter was received from the Federated Seamen's Union soliciting the Council's assistance by any means they might doom expedient, to abolish private benefit societies instituted by employers where employment was conditional only on accepting membership. Societies of this nature they alleged were becoming so numerous as seriously to menace the interests and liberties of waco-oarners generally. Most of theso societies, the letter stated, were etablished ostensibly for philanthropic purposes, but experience had shown that the majority wore morely thinly disguised capitalistic devices to keep wago-enrners in subjection, and more effectually bond them to the wishes of employers. Members of the Union teel themselves sorely oppressed in being compelled to contribute to the Society incepted by the Union S S. Company some years ago. The rules of this Society, they asserted, were arbitrary in the extreme, and clearly showed the reasons,for bringing it into existeuco. No changes could bo effected in its constitu tion without consent of the Company, and thoy further insisted that no person in their employ should be a member of the Union, which the Company does not recognise. Members dared not raise their voices against this, and thoy now looked to the Legislature to grant them relief. The Union was of opinion that if sufficient pressuro could be brought to bear, tho Government might, be induced to include such a measure in their policy next session which would materially enhance its prospects when it reached the Legislative Council. Tho letter was referred to the Conference.

The Trades and Labour Council has appointed three dolegates to attend the Trades Conference at In vercargill at Easter, and they were authorised to support the Seamen's Unions in their action re private benefit societies.