A TRADESMENS HALL.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 810, 9 September 1887, Page 14

A TRADESMENS HALL.

DEPUTATION TO THE MINISTER OF LANDS. In accordance with an appointment a deputation waited on the Minister of Lands ab his office in the Government Buildings with reference to a site for a hall for the convenience of the various trades, etc. The gentlemen composing the deputation were Messrs W. Robertson, W. Moren, J. Moran, S. Woods, Goodyear, and Redmond. Mr Robertson, introducing the deputation, said he had been requested by representatives of various handicrafts—bootmakers, shipwrights, coach builders, boiler makers, plumbers, gas fitters, etc. (and he must apologise for the absence of the latter, for he had only had a very short time in which to notify the persons concerned of the deputation) —to introduce to Mr Ballance a deputation representing the various handicrafts of tha city with a view to asking him for a site for a trades hall in Wellington. He had great pleasure in doing so. The want of such a hall in which representatives of the various trades could meet, and in which matters between masters and men could be discussed to mutual advantage, had already been felt. In Melbourne they had such an institution, he believed, and he would be very glad to see a similar one here. Mr W. Moren said the want of a hall where the followers of the various trades could meet from time to time and discuss important matters which affected not only them, but their employers also, had long been felt. He represented the boot operatives on the question, and they had informed him that if it were possible for the Government to give them what they were seeking, they would look upon it as a great boon. With the moneys they and other corporations now spent on various halls, they thought they would have ample funds with which to erect a hall for the purpose. It would benefit all trades to have a hall in the city in which they would have a mutual interest. While the various trades had meetings in isolated places, they did not really understand each other’s position, and there was not the same interest taken in matters which greatly concerned them. He would therefore express a hope that the Minister would use his endeavors to meet with their request, and if he succeeded they would consider that he had conferred a very great favor indeed upon them. Messrs Woods, Redmond, Goodyear, and Moran also briefly addressed the Minister, Mr Moran pointed out the evil which resuited from men being compelled to meet in public-houses. Mr Ballance said he had very much pleasure in meeting the deputation and hearing their views upon this very important question. He might say at once that it was an object he had very much at heart. The object seemed to him to be one that had been generally recognised, not only in the colonies, but also in many parts of the British Empire, and in some instances tradesmen had been able to obtain halls of their own—that is to say, the different trades had been able to obtain the land in the first instance, and then to erect the building. Mr Robertson had referred to the one in Melbourne. The land for that was obtained many years ago --25 years, he thought—and Mr George Elliott Bartou was instrumental in obtaining the land for the trades’ unions of Melbourne. At that time he supposed it was considered a step in advance, but then at that time trades’ unions, as they would be aware, had not received what he might call legislative sanction—they had not been recognised as capable of great usefulness, founded upon principles of law and

order, and calculated to promote the intertests of the community at large. Since then they had won for themselves recognition on the part of legislators and communities in general, and trades’ unions had been recognised as bodies capable of work of great usefulness which could not be dispensed with at the present day. Recently he had looked at statistics, and found in them a reply to the charge sometimes made against trades’ unions that their principal object was to encourage and maintain strikes. That, they knew, was a popular impression, and they found here, where newspaper writers were not so familiar with trades’ unions as in the old country, that when a strike occurred they at once jumped to the conclusion that the men must be wrong and the masters right. One thing shown by these statistics was most refnarkable. It was that of the total income received by trades’ unions 99 per cent was devoted to works of benevolence and philanthropy, and only one per cent to the purposes of strikes. Of course, holding these views—views not formed yesterday, but which he had hold for many years, for he had considered this question for 25 years—he considered it was the duty of the Government to do all in their power to get sites for halls, not only in Wellington but in all the centres of the Colony, because, of course, in other places the want was just the same as here. He might tell them that the members of the Government had talked about this matter amongst themselves, and they were all very anxious indeed to comply with the wisheß of the representatives of the trades’ unions, and procure, if possible, suitable sites for the buildings. But here arose a difficulty, which was that of getting a suitable piece of land for the purpose. He did not suppose there was any large centre in the Colony where Crown land was so scarce as here. Had it not been for the reclamation, which had afforded the Government for many years the means of satisfying reasonable wants, ho did not know what they should have done for land. Bat there was, he found, some land at the Thorndon end, formerly occupied by the railway station, and he thought it was perhaps possible—he was not sure—to get a portion of that. Then there was the question, Would that be central enough! A large proportion of the tradesmen of the city lived at the other end of the city, and it would be a long way for them to walk. As to the power of the Government, it did not appear to him that they had the power without legislation, but there was precedent, which, he thought, might be avail, able. In 1879 a Bill was passed to enable the Government to set aside sites for workingmen’s clubs, and that might be extended to trade kalis. The precedent seemed to him to be a good one, for the objects were the same. He pointed out that the present was a time of great uncertainty, and they could not indulge in any very certain prophecies, but he could only express his views upon this question ; and if he had the honor to sit in the next Parliament, he would do all that lay in his power to obtain the necessary authority for sites for this object throughout the Colony. He thought amendment to the Act to which he had referred would meet the case, and then it would be for the Government to find out what land was available. He was very glad to hear what was said about the money being raised for the hall. He was told that in Melbourne the hall was a source of great profit, and was continually being let for speeches, concerts, &c., paying more than the interest on coat of construction. He felt sure that if they could get a site here, they could put up a building which would provide ample accommodation, and give a large income beside. Some time ago the people of Christchurch waited upon him from the Industrial Association, and asked for a piece of land on which to erect a building to exhibit products. He thought the same object might be served here, j The tradesmen were very largely engaged in manufactures, and they could put up a building in which their products could be exhibited also. The object of the deputation commended itself to him as bringing all classes together. It would infuse a spirit of mutual interest, and show that all were on the same basis and must co-operate if they wished to promote their common good. The question ot manufactures was one he had taken very great interest in, and he held that until people were thoroughly aroused to the necessity of protecting their own industries the artisans of the Colony would not be in a good position. Some people were in favor of Freetrade —the shopkeepers he was told. He warned them, however, that they would suffer by competition, and pointed out that there was already an outcry against Chinamen in business. He agreed that it was very undesirable that men should have to meet in public-houses. In conclusion he wished to make it clear that his sympathies were thoroughly with them. The only question was one of means, and in that he thought he saw his way. He could not give any definite promises, but he would promise them to leave no stone unturned to give effect to the object they had in view. Mr Moren (bootmaker) expressed the pleasure it gave the deputation to hear the views Mr Ballance had expressed, and he assured him that their earnest hope was that he and others who would no doubt take a lively interest in the matter might be returned by a very large majority indeed to the next Parliament. Mr Ballance thanked the deputation for their good wishes, and added that he hoped that before six months were over they would have the site. The deputation then withdrew.