UNION STEAM SHIP COMPANY MUTUAL BENEFIT SOCIETY.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 10967, 23 November 1897, Page 7

UNION STEAM SHIP COMPANY MUTUAL BENEFIT SOCIETY.

Ths seventh annual general meeting of the above society was held on Saturday last, the 20th inst.,- at the Sailors' Rest. There were about 100 members present, Captain Strang (vice-president) baing in the chair. Tee annual, report (which ' appears below)' and balance sheei; for the year ended 30th September- last, which showed that at that date the-society'had in caeh on hand 'and invested the sum of £40i3 Is 9dj were placed before the meefcinc. Captain Stsang, in moving the adoption of the report, said : I am sorry that iv consequence of our president (Mr Mills) being in Wellington it devolves upon me to preside at this the seventh annual meeting of the society. I would rather the honour had been someone else's, brit, as x sailor is known never to shirk his duty, 1 must just do. the best I cau, and trust to your indulgence to look over any Shortcomings. In the report of the past year, which I. see ypu have in your hands, and which I presume you wili, as usual, take as read—more especially as /it is somewhat longer than customary,—there are several MATTERS OF SOME IMPORTANCE to the society: about which I shall have a word or two to s&y presently. My first duty, however, is to refer to the accounts and proceedings of the year as set forth in the commibteb's report. You will notice that there has bseu a considerable falling off iv.the revenue from contributions. This is partly caused .fey. a reduction in the membership, but chiefly by the . fact that ths subsidy previously paid by the. i Union Company was nob received during last. ( year. You' will remember that the company j decided to wait the result or the FIRST QUINQUENNIAL INVESTIGATION before deciding what further support they would extend- to the society. The actuary's report was received late in,the year, and as it mdi- j cated the^assistanca of.the cpoipafly was necessary to maintain, the society in a strouger position unless the benefits were reduced or the rates, of coatribufciori raised, the company generously intimated that they would CONTINUE THEIR CONTRIBUTION for a second term of fire yesrs, to take effect from the close of the first period.' Thin was not known in time to include the subsidy in the year's revenue, but, as payment is retrospective, the year's income will ba.increased by the sum of £373,; which represents 20 par ceiit. ef. members' contributions. With this included, theyear's revenue juat/'slightiy. exceeds, the. i expenditure, the figures b&ug £2485 received j againßt.£244-l paid out. This does riot compare j favourably with previous years, during each'of which we have had a, considerable surplus to, J carry forward. . The leakage- is largely j accounted for by the amount s ! DISBURSED FOR SICK PAY. ■• ! 'Although Che • membership is les« by over 100'j membbrs and the members'contributions £230 j les3_ttian during the previous year, the claims | for sick, pay have increased by £173. This is the weak spoi in the society, and you' will' noticefrom the extract from the actuary's report, given in the report in your hands, that he lays" .great stress ou the necessity for exercising closer ihspsction of the eiaiifea made for sick allowances. When this socisty wasestablishsd it was confioeutly expected that the sickness would be much under the average of that of members of friendly societiei? on shore, for it was recogaised that a sea life was a healthy one, and it was believe'! that sailors did hotthink si) hiuch of a trifling ailment as landsmen. The raverje has turned out to be the case, however, and after five years' experience the.aotuary tells us that our sickness rate is much higher than shore societies, and much higher than it ought ,to_ be. This wants looking to. I would not-like to insinuate that our members are not averse to

A LITTLE HOLIDAY ON SICK PAY, but it looks as /if -they were more easily knocked up tbau shore people. At all events if the society is to continue ia a flourishing state members must do what they can ~to prevent the committee being imposed upon. While I am oa the subject of the actuary's kefobt, the full text of which has been circulated amongst members, I Would .icantion you uot to be alarmed by the language of that report.. Although you might think frbaa what tho actuary says about the estimated value of the liabilities of the society being 23894- greater than the estimated value cf the assew that the society was in a bad way financially, such is not really tha case. This statement; ia t'aa result of'a valuation calculated, oae may ssy, to the end of time. In does nofc..me&a the fdciety is hot: in a position to meet atsy claima j that may be made upon it. It is really little j more thiu a figure of speech; As a matter of fact .-.,-■

-. ' TH2 SOCIErY IS IN A STEOKa POSITION at the present moment, aud proposals are being made to you by the commitcee to-usy to remedy, as far as possible, the defects pointed out by the actuary. Amongst those proposals is one to do away with the benevolent fund aad to merge iti .in the sick and funeral fund.

THE BESBVOLiST FUND is not really needfcd; ifc on-y *cts as a tamptation.to vote sums for purposes which vviirs 2105 contemplated in the scheme of the society, and any legitimate claims which niiy arise eau bo dealt with otherwise ou their merits. It \i j-.ro-poaed, too, that in the case of members, who have been utawiag sick psy earning again oil I the f'unfl before 12 months hM.Te nl&psed tSi^y j shall not be paid the fuli rate, but tihall. be treated as if i'ueir illness liud been continuous. For instance, say that a. msmbtir has bfteu drawing sick pay for eight months and recovers, should he com«. again ou the fund in three mouths he will be paid *.i the rats iin was drawing when he whiit back tc> -^ork, nv.d not at the full rate of 20.-! per wick jia^i!^ during the- first nix months of illness. According to the present rula3 sick pay is not allowed after a continuous period of 12 months. Following up a, suggestion -i of. the actuary you will be asked to- j day to alter the rule su as to permit of j a subsequent allowance of 5a par week until j recovery or death. You know that iv May j last I A HOYAL COMMISSION was appointed for the purpose of making inquiry iato the working of private benefit societies. The commission opened the inquiry at, Dii'uedii), and spent; the first eight days in going very closely iiito the aff?.ift of bur society. I do not think I am making a stateijien'u which can be challenged when I 3ay ifc waa confidently anticipated, and even wished for, by those who were not well dispoaed towards tha society that the inquiry would disclose a state of matters which called for interference iv the interest of members and of employees of the company. The result must have been very disappointing to such people, its THE SOCIETY PASSED SCATHLESS through tbe ordeal of au cigar, days' rigid examination, aud I canuot put the position more strongly than by qnotiu); the words of the commissioners themselves iv their roport to the Governor: "Your eotnjniSßioaerg ara of opinion that tbo existence of "THIS. SOCIETY IS OF GttEAT ADVANTAGE "to the employees of theooojpauy, as providing means of support iv tioin ol sickness, kc, to men, many of whom would probably otherwise have made no provision to meet such contingencies. The subsidy hitherto granted by the company is a liberal one, and enables much larger benefits to be secured by the contributors than would otherwise be.possible." I ara sure no one will grudge to the committee of the society or to the directors of the company the feeling of gratification with which they raufit havo read these words, testifying as they do to the good which the establishment of the society has effected, and clearing the directors of tbe charge which lias so oFtflQ been made against them that the society wns initiated for the sole purpose of protecting their own selfish interests and interfering with the liberty of their employees. . The coramisaioDers made two recom-

mendations in their report—a change in tbe trusteeship of the society and a >a IN-CREASED KEPRESEXf ATiON' OP MEMBERS of the society on the committee. These suggestions are quite in accordance with the views of the company and are on all fours with their expressed intentions over Bines the societj'a establishment. When it was first formed it was necessary, in the best interents of the society, that there should be on the committee' men whose special knowledge and experience could be made use of to orgauise the society and get it into good working order. Naturally we could not look for such men amongst the members, &ud it was therefore necessary that ' they should be found amongst the nominees of the company. At first, therefore, the company's reoresentatives on, the committee included officials whoso services were of value in this direction, but when their special work was done they gradually withdrew snd were replaced by ofcher.i whose daily employment wag more nearly in touch with that of tl)« members ; and although the company have the right of nominating six membftcs (jf. committee, as a matter of fact their nominees' participation in the work of the society, has for a long time past bsen merely nominal, the actual worfe aud DIRECTION OF'THE SOCIBTi' having been in. the hands of the eommifcfceamen elected by yourselves. The company have thought the present a fitting time to put their intentions into a definite shape, and have intimated to the committee that they will reduce their nominees to tarce members, leaving nine to be elected by thft society, thus giving a preponderance to tha members' representatives. Only two, of the company's nominees will' be I employees, the third bsing an EXPERT IN FSIF.SDLY SOCIETIES' BUSINESS, whose presence on the committee suouid ba of great assistance. They also- give- up their privilege of nominating the vice-president, and leave the election of one of the tniatees in tha bands of the committee. I understand that as the ballot papers are out 'for the election of six j msmbtrs of committee the election of the addi- I tional three cannot be carried out at this meeting, but whatever steps are necessary to give the society the advantage of their services wil betaken. Meantime the committee will'carry on the work with six representatives of.-the members and three of the company with the erscutivs. There are one or two more alterations to tha rules to be,proposed to-day, but they ate chiefly .formal, and as they are set forth in full iv the committs'e's report I need not refer further to them. You are no doubt aware that Hiace last annual meeting *atT arrangement \va3 made with the company by which MEMBERSHIP OP THE SOCIETY WAS MADE OPTIONAL

to employees joining the comoany's service and to members of the society itself after 30th Septomber last. The reduction in the actual membership as compared with the number on, the roll at this tims last year is due almost entirely to the.facfc that new employees have not joined the socieiy oa tak.ing up employment, fend I am pleased to say that there are very few instances of okl members secediag from its ranks. The .nsw men.have had no knowledge of the benefits to be derived from membership, though doubtless they will learn from others, aud eventually seek admission...; The old members who have had practical experience of the advantages of belongiug to the society appreciate them too hiflhSy to giva them up. And, in- , deed, the society thoroughly well deserves fca be supported. The. fact that during the six years it has been in existence tb/8 sum of £5053 HAS EBBS EXPANDED IN SICK PAY alone, besides £3320 in payment of medical attendance on memiiers and their wives and families, speaks volumes for the good the society is doins;. The payment of a small monthly sum, which is never missed, makes' all the differenca between completa peace of mind and anxiety as to what will ftappsn should, sickness lay the breadwinner aside. Those of you who are married will'appreciate how great that difference is. An important change in the executive of the society took place during the year, consfqueut. on the resignation of the secretary (Mr C- Grater),. It wa3 thought it tfould be an advantage to the society and bring the members into closer touch with its workings were the secretaryship in the hands o? oiie who had been brought in personal contact with the members, and who would ba acceptable to them as liaviug a knowledge of the feeling entertained towards the society by the mbinbers afloat. Applications were, therefore, invited from members, with the result that Mr D. L. Maxwell, belonging to the deck department of the Te Atiau, was elected to1 fill the vacancy. By this step the irismbers afloat increased their shire in the;.,. .*, . ..-.. ■ . ■ _■■ '. MANAGEMENT OF .THE ( SOC.IETT,. : . and perhaps I may be allowed to express the hope that an1? feeling' of dissatisfaction | with the society which hitherto may I-hive prevailed^ amongst some members will j;ba quite swept away. f by the provision ! which " this step, / and: Ithe changes mentioned iti the report, make for the control of the society beiug practically placed ia the iahds of the members'themselves. I hope also that every member will take an active and willing interest in the working of tile society, and will give his hearty support to the Efforts of the committee to carry oh its business in art eco- : riomicai; eMc'ieut, and sympathetic inanuer. I now ib'rmaliy'mov^ the adoptifcri of the report and balance sheet. -?. ■ . '• ,'

I Mr M'Bwan, in Bsfaondiiig the adoption of the I report and balance sheet, stated that it bad been currently reported in some aiiartera that the soniety was riot doing good work, but the figures quoted by the chairman, and the result of the Royal Commission, proved this report to ba without foundation; and showed that the society had paid more, for the nambsr of members in its ranks, thaa any other society in New Zealand. The proposed larger representation by members cf the society, anoat. was a change in the right direction, and he was pleased that the compariy'ha'd taken this step. There was oae question., which!. he thought the committee would have to face sooner or later—namely, iihe necessity for appointing a representative, in Wellington. It had been seated that it wa« necessary to hava a man in Wellington .whom the members there could consult and obtain information from with L'aspsct to the of the society, and he thought it should be a recommendation to the incoming conaniiitze that steps bo taken to appoint a suitable man in Wellington in order that Wellington members might have some permanent representative of the committee to whom they coald go for advice or explanation regarding auy qaestions thaD might crop up. Referring to the state of the uiikticss and tha complaint; that the dsmands ou the Rick fund vjere larger than they should be, he said that it was very difficult to control this matter owing to the distanca from headquarters a.!; which soma of the c':aiu;s arose, and frequently it was Eome time aftes the liability, had bsen iacurred that they camo before the commii,tes, especially when the illaess occurred >t such places as Melbourae or SjAiey. j

I The report r-nd bsiance eheefc.were then i>uli 'J to tile meeting aiid cuanimousiy adopted. {Various alterations to the rules, the particulars of. which ware given in lull iv a leaflet; attached to the report, vsere put to the meeting ' seriatim, and eittted ua&nimansiy.. ' EtXCTIOJf OF COSIMITTES. Captain Sfc'ang k-.timated that thu company's j nomiuecis for the new coennjiUes ivi-re Messrs Peter Slack (whom they had acaainajed cm account of his btbiog an expert oi' jjraat experi--*.«ce. iv friandiy societies' 'easiness), Jatnes ' Ness, and Captain Sfcangf. •' ; . jOn fee motion of Alt' Cree, a hctrfey vote 6E ■ 1 khaiiks to the rtstiriug nominated "members of J ! coiamiitee ws.s passed, >■•;«■• A ijaiiot was thea taken for toe election of six jußiebeta of committed from the crews .ot thi-.: "steamers, and resulfed iv the following being returned: —Deck department—biemti. Frank Dijw and Matthew Giee; engine' depadioieut—Mef.srs James Wilson wj<i "William Kendall: Btewatds1 dapartinont— MesHTa 1). A. R. HiVßttun and K.Fetterd. filr'M'iiiWAK suggested that in iuture only three icsmbets cf . the "comoiittue should retire annually, as he coiisidored this wouici ha much better than him whole nins bsiiig net* men. VOTE OF THANKS TO THE COMPANIES DIKUCTOBS Mr Randall moved and £?r M'Neh. > ascomlod a vote oi: thanka to tiie liirect.ors of j the Unioa Stufuu Ship Company fur granting I fciioir subsidy for .a further t&cKi of uve years. This w»« carried unanimously.; aud ' Oapbsiu.STtiAKG, iu.ackaowiecg'iQff the vote, stfitod that hfe f«it Kure, :V;iu the enthusiastic manner iv which they haci passed this vote, that they appreciated tiie aution of t-hs cliracfcocs of the company, and ho thought the latter vrerft quite satisfied M:»t the nssiitanca they ware iiiviujj to the society was the rnesti* of keeping up a closer lesliug- of good-fellowsuiji betwfieu their fcmployeei ami themselves. In his opinion there was no duubt thtt & aucir-i,y of this description was very much iiftiittua by fcbfi working meu. At a tueeliiL'giu Wellitigtua suum t«'o years ago, when tr.oy were sticviiig 7?h&fewa-i j called a Workars' Political Union, sr. wlik-li j there were several members of Pfcriiij.-.) nient present, one member, who ixdk a j great interest in friendly soctietiti - ally, made what he (the spw-M-x) eansitiaced a very acnaible remark. Ha said thai, the unions of the future must partake somewhat more of the nature of benefit societies thin of political associations, as no-operation iviis the only way by which working men couiJ derive the benefits they required. There had been a great deal said lately about old age 1 pensions, but he considered that if everyone were . iv a benefit society there would bs no n«ed tor these old age pensions.—(Applause.) By the j men becoming members of these societies they ' showed that they were determined to provide for themselves, and what benefits they received ; did not come as a pension bu!i were what they ! had acquired a right to. If the Government 1 did grant these pensions ft would be impossible ! to get away from tiie fact that it waa jusfe gotr:g ; > back to the old system of the poorhouse and j ■ the dispensation of charitable aid, while with j n bensllfc societies they v/eio enabled not enly to j ] provide for themselves but to help each other, j and he considered that all working men should j cstt&inly belong to some benefit s:;ci&iy. ' '}

On the prooosal of Mr Milne a hearty yob of thanks to Captain Strang for presiding, and also to the treasurer and secretary for their courtesy to members, was unanimously passed, Messrs Ness and Maxwell responding.

Daring the course of ths meeting a telegram was' received from Mr Jas. Mills (the president of the society) expressing -regret ac his inability to be present. The telegram was received with applause, and a rote of thanks passed to Mr Mills for his thoughtfulneas in sending it.

The following is the annual report:— The committee have pleasure in submitting to the members of the society their report ami statement of accounts for the year ended 30th Suptember ISO 7. , The total receipts for the year were .£•2111 19s Od, while the expenditure amounted to £'2441 9.-; lOd, leaving a deficiency of £'$$) 10s Id on the year's oparations. This leaves th* total funds in hand at 30th Septemher of £40i:VC.i IM, of which.£'36oo is held by the Bankof New Zealand ou fixed deposit, the balance of £413 0s 3;1 being made up of cash in hand and on current account with bank. .. The principal- items of expenditure during the ,year, ,lve,re:—.Sick pay, £1.045 2s 4d to 202. members, for terms ..varying from four days to 52 weeks; funeral claims. £80; medical attendance, £il*i 16s 4d; medicines, £22fi 3s 6d ; surrender values, £2ii ns |M (^ igi members, in Bums rangmp from 9* 6d to £7175); an''grants from benevolent fund, £51 17s 2d. . . The membership of ths society is now 7-12, of \vhieh"224'contribxite ufitlsr Table 11. Stibscrintions have b«en received from 15 honorary members during the year. As was seated at the last annual meeting, the society had then completed the first five years of its existence —the period during which the company had agraed -to 'subsidise the members' coutributioes to: the extent of 20 percent. A very considerable tima was occupied in setting the quinquennial investigation into the affairs of the SDcier.y completed, the actuary's report only reaching the committee* hands at the latter end of August. The directors of the company having decided to await the report of the actuary before making any frash arrangement with referehca to a continuance of their valuable assistance, left the society without any extran'eous'help whatever for the entire yeav ; hence ■ ths reason for tbe apparent retrograde step which has been taken with the society's finances, Had this revenue not cease.i, th« society would liaVe'be'nfefited to the extent of £373 Is 4>l. However, members will be pleased to know that sirfee'tlfe receipt of the actuary's report the directors have decided to con-

tinue for another five years the assistance which the company has hitherto given in tbe shape of subsidising the atimjal. Contributions of members to the extent of'2o pet cent., within a limit of £'500 per annum. This arrangement will date back from Ist October, 1596, so that the society will receive the amount mentioned above, being the company's contribution for the year just eaded. The committee gratefully acknowledges the generosity of the company in this respect. Another act of courtesy has been extended to tbe society. The directors have always contemplated giving the members more freedom in the' management of the society, and they have now intimated to the committee that they are prepared to reduce the number of their nominees from si.ttb tTii;c?; to.increase, the. number of the members' representatives from sixsto niue, and leavs the election of vice-pvssident to the members .themselves., ..They also .agree that of the two trustees of the society, one only shall be nominated by. the company, and the other elected by the members. The reduction in the number of the company's nominees will take place at once, but the increase ia the .number of the members' representatives cannot take effect until next year's election, the bnllotins' for :tlie present year beibg complete.. -This will hot, however, interfere with the carrying on of the business, the committee consisting of nine members and the vice-presi-dent, instead of 12 members including the vicepresident. .

The committee regrets that the actuary's report is not as favourable a3 w'as'wlshed 'or "expected.' He writes in condemnatory terms with respect to the very large' amount expended on sick pay during the five years, showing that the society compares unfavourably in this respect with other societiea, and blames the management for a too generous payment of sick claims. The committee recognises the truth of the. statement, but does not take blame for carelessnts.? in this rsspect, as they are almost entirely in the doctor's hands, upon whose certificates they make payment. It is a generally recognised thing, however, that instances of .these 'certificates being • unworthily obtaiued- do very oft'en occur, and the committee trusts to obtain the hearty co-operation of eyery member of the'sbniety to prevent this undesirable, procedure. The follnwiug is the actuary's opinion on this mdtter. He says :— " .Reverting again to the Sickness claims, I cannot get oyer.the impression that the committee might, in tho interests of'the'geueral ■; body,_take' a more stringent view of what constitutes sickness entitling to. relief, and also t!xercise: a closer 'supervision over the members on the sick ilist. I am stroEgly of opinion that if this could be carried out it would result iv a reduction of sickness claims. These, however,-are-matters of which the committee are !the best judges. My duty has teen discharged by pointing out' What the experience hasbeen compared with that of kindred societies.".

The actuary lays stress on tne small amount of interest earned by the funds of the society^ Of this fact the cpniniittee is well aware.; but the channels for in'vcitiheßt are so few and money so plentiful that. it. is very-difficult .to place funds except in the banks, which now offer only 3J per cent.—a-very low rate of interest. ' . ' ,Ia the conrse of his report: the actuary (after fiveyjars" experience) quotes figures to sbpw that the estimated-- value, of the assets"(realised and; expected), is less by £3594 3s' 6d than the estimated value of the liabilit£es-<a state of affairs which should hot, he states,' be allowed to continue, and suggests.se/.-eral ways..of :remedying the position;:' One was to reduce the amount of beneßtspaid ; another to increase, th'fe contributions. But the committee hesitated Jo recomtr.end suchsirinKent measures, and in place- thereof have devised alterations 'to certain rules which, it is thought, will at leas,t materially, assist, in" placing the society on a better footing. ,'One of these suggested alterations is the abolition of the beuevoleut fund, a fund which has always been a source of weaktfeSa to the"\eomarittee., It is proposed' to transfer'the balance aY present' standing to the credit of this fund to the sick a.^d funeral fund, to credit the latter fund with> the 2s per annum referredvto in rule 48, and to continue payment of sick allowance until the recovery or death of a, member. Other proposed . alterations should also conduce to economy in the working of the society. . . . . :

The various amendments and alterations will he proposed at this meeting, and the committee recommend their adoption;

During the past year a Royal commission inquired into the working [of private benefit, societies, this society liefag■ Tnd)u?le3 in the list of those inquired into.. A most exhaustive inquiry■was instituted, but the results1 (as published a shor: tliine ago) were distinctly favourable to our society. I,' ; ........ • • ■ •

The late secretary of the'society, Mr C. Grater, sent in his resignation during, the latter part of the year, and applications were invited for the vacancy, any member of the society being deemed eligible. As a result Mr _D. L. Maxwell, A.B. on the Te Auau, was1 ajipoiuted secretary. The committee desires to.plpce on record^ tlieir appreciation of the vory valuable cervices rendered by Mr Grater during the five years h"e held office as vecreta-'y. In addition to being well qualified to fill the position; he* wfts alwiiys obliging and courteous to the committee, as weil as to lusmbers of the society with whom he was brought in contact.

No' changes have occuired during the year among- the medical ofiicers or chemists of the society. . ■■■■,-■■ <;.;. ;: . : '■

The six members .of the committee, elected last year were Messrs M. • Cree, J. Milne, \V. Handle, J. >Vilson, OD. M'Syv-an, and A. Cox. Mr Cox resigned during the year, and Mr.Petterd vras ap-pointed-by^tue committee to fill the vacancy. J?or tW election of- the iieu''6omnnttee members will to-day be called upon tv avail themselves of the privilege extended io tietn Inst year of voting by bitllot. The notninations are: liless.'s Si'Kwati, Peiterd, and iSmliss, for the cooks and' stKwards' department; Slessrs Cree, Milne, Dovr, an'i Brf'CPgirdla, for tha deck departmeut; and Messrs Wiison, Randle, aud Anderson, for the* firemen's department.'.