THE WELLINGTON LUMPERS' UNION.

New Zealand Times, Volume XLIII, Issue 7222, 18 July 1884, Page 7

THE WELLINGTON LUMPERS' UNION.

A largely nttenduil meeting of tho ftbore union wus hcM lit Fraser's Itoom, Mannersstreet, last evening Week. There were present, besides Ur. Newman, M.11.X1., president, Messrs Goo. Ui-her, \V. Hutehinaon, M.H.K. and 11. Shaw. After the declaration which has to bo signed by every member, had been read, Mr (Jordon, the late delegate _ of_ the Otago Trades and Xiabor Council invited any representative present of tilts Wellington Trades and Ijabor Council to come forward, and in response to this invitation, Mr Capper, tho secretary of that council, made some remarks on unions. Instancing tho Chamber of Commerce, Chemists Union, Ice,, and said ho wished to see all the unions act together. Mr Gordon in reply, said ho bad been connected with tho Trades and Labor Council in Uunedin for many years, and would lie glad to assist the local associations. Ho remarked that the council was a league for those will) objected to join any particular Trades Union as well as for tho union of all trade sociutie?, Mr. W. Hutchinson, who wig then invited to speak, remarked that although he yvua not acquainted with tho rules he felt great pleasure at seeing such a large number of men united for tho promotion of what he was sure woim good and proper objects. Tho best solution of tho groat problem of capital and labor would bo found if they only stood together to obtain reasonable objects; He was surprised nt hearing of an oath of allegiance, bat ha found it a very simple thing, and hoped the Union would flourish. Ho had seen a {■joftcnon’s TTnioa formed which had disappeared, but ho was natmred by Mr Gardner that tho now branch of the Now Zealand Seamen’s Union now established in Wellington would not fall through, and he hoped to hear more about it, Tho Mayor said ho believed be could give them tome advice with regard to combinations of workmen from his own experience, as he had turned out on no less than six strikes connected with his profession himself during his career in New Zealand. Speaking on the Fubject of the conflict between capital and labor, he said there was more to bo done by reason and argument on both sides than by forming arbitrary decisions as to what should be done. lie knew what it was to insist on high wages, in each case of that sort with which ho had been connected, ho had to turn away from bis labor and find work somewhere the. For instance, where a man was going to build a steamer here at a cost of about £7OOO, be would recommend workmen in that particular branch to consider whether they should insist on too high a rate of wages and compel the man to send Home for the steamer. Another phase of the question had come before the Harbor Board in tho shape of a proposal to reduce the wages per hour of the lumpers working overtime on the wharf, I ecause the present raUs were hindering the shipping company. Although interested as a shareholder iu the New Zealand Shipping Company he had voted against the proposal, because he thought that some extra compensation ought to be made to a man who worked, against his nature, at night, instead of in tho d'ay time. He was happy to say that that view had prevailed, and the reduction was not made. The speaker concluded by complimenting tho president on being tho head of such a powerful society, and advised them lo be guided rather by reason than by force without reason. Mr J. H. Shaw remarked that as far us he had been able to understand, tho union miemed to be a porfictly legitimate combination for protecting the legitimate rights of what he would cull labourers for wages. He did not see anything alarming in it for the community, although hw experience of Web liiigton, which extended over a period of twenty-five years, had taught him that this was a very easily alarmed community, an exceedingly irrational state of affairs, which was no doubt attributable to the mischievous presence of such a large number of Civil servanU He thought that no body ft men could obtain any legitimate object without organisation, and if it was done iu a rational and law-abiding spirit, no community bad any casou to take alarm at it.

Mr Gardner expressed his pleasure at seeing bo many goatlemeu of position present, and referred to the coming elections, remarking that the union alien'd' have ft platform of its own, lie exhorted those present to induce other lumpers to join, and went on to that the Seamen’s Union was increasing in numbers, although ho had never met with more abuse than ho had in connection with this undertaking. Ho also reprehended the pro* mature action of the old Seamen's Union, by

which it hml come to grief, an'l pointei out that Um union in Anckbiml, in tboii j.ff iic with Ooptnin .ScMbiml, hid acted con trm-y b!i mlw-o. A v.l-1 of tliunk-i to lim Mayor wan pis'ien and the fb-ebdent. Worei a hope tbal the Soimcn’M Union, of which bw Woralii[ Wan the h. ,d, would alwavv. work togothci with tin pro'i-M. oi.i-. At the <:..n;l-iMi..o of tor u,,-? tire-, the President miM he v/onid do hi. he-it to make tin union a siiccos l , and nxpro.r.nd bin hit-i tic,i of being a regular attend mt of tile nv.eting-e 'I in' proceeding! tlien tmminr.'ed.