RAILWAYMEN’S PRESIDENT

New Zealand Times, Volume XL, Issue 9096, 15 July 1915, Page 3

RAILWAYMEN’S PRESIDENT

RETIREMENT OF MR- W. T. WILSON

The president of the Amalgamated Society of Railway Servants, Mr W- T. Wilson (Palmerston North), has retired from that position, which he has held for several years, as he has been promoted to be depot chargeman at Frankton Junction. This involves entering the first division of the railway service. Mr 'Wilson was presented lost night with a gold, watch and a massive silver salver for Mrs Wilson, the former hearing an inscription that it was a token of recognition of his twenty-seven years’ service to the Amalgamated Society of Railway Servants. The presentation was made at the society’s head office in Wellington by Mr 1 P. Gaines (vice-president), who attributed a -good deal of the society’s success in winning improved pay and conditions to Mr Wilson’s long and sterling work for railway unionism. Members of the executive council, together with Messrs M. J. Mack (general secretary) and C. E. Wheeler (editor of the society’s journal) added their testimony to the retiring president’s work for railwayman, dating from a time when a man actively identified with unionism was in danger of victimisation. It was an open secret that Mr Wilson had a good deal to do in advising the framers of the Government Railways Superannuation Act, which, -in spite of some defects, was a splendid thing for the service. He had been identified for years with the Superannuation Board, and had also done valuable work on the Railway Appeal Board. Mr Wilson in acknowledging the presentation, stated that he had been through all the grades of the society. He had now reached a stage when he found that he could not, with justice to himself.' the society, or the department, hold the positions of president of the society and depot chairman. If the organisation had achieved good results, he could only attribute it to the way in which tho members and the leaders had worked together for the good of all. The future, in view of present conditions, was likely to be difficult, and the task would he to retain what had been : won. .However, he believed the society would continue to progress, and he would never lose his interest in its affairs.

Mr E. Hampton, of Addington Workshops. has been appointed president of the A.S.E.S., to succeed Mr Wilson. He was elected to the last conference of the society as one of the workshops delegates, and has for many years been prominent in the society’s affairs. He represented the employees at the Royal Commission which investigated charges against the administration of the shops and the work of the men a few years ago.