AMALGAMATED SOCIETY OF ENGINEERS.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 14280, 31 July 1908, Page 8

AMALGAMATED SOCIETY OF ENGINEERS.

I The annual reunion of tho Dimedin i branch of tho Amalgamated Society of 1 was held last evening in tho • Oddfellows' Hall, Stuart, street. About 80 ( pereona sat down to' refreshments provided r Krco "' Elscii' prcsidod. j "ho principal toast of tho evening, "The ' Amalgamated -Society of Engineers," was proposed by -Mr W. InsraJn, who, on behalf of tho Moulders' Union, which he rcpVesojiteti, exprcsed -appreciation of tho i welcome accordcd him. He always coil- ' sidercd it, was in tho best interests of . societies of moulders ;uid enginears that J they should work together. 1 I lioplyLng to tho toast, tho Chairman said . the Sooicty of Engineers had beau in exist- ( enco for over 50 years. The objects were I tho formation of tlio genora-l welfare of t>ho_ members, thus tending towards tho up- ; lifting of humanity in general. At 1-ho | present timo tho membership of tho Amali g&mated Society of Enginoere was 110.918. ' ; Tiro assot.s of the society totalled £795,106 15s 7d, whioh represented something over £7 per member. During the March quarter i tho amount expended in benefits was £105.297 5s 2d. They had superannuated , anombers lo the number of 5459. All of , those members were in rceoipt of what . wo would call old-ago pensions. Ho remarked that, tho old-age pension scheme was not original to New Zealand, as such a scheme was in oxistenco in connection with this society before it had been suggested in New Zealand. Ho mado an appeal to those not- presently connected with tlio society to throw in tboir lot wit.h the members, pointing out tlio advisability of so doing for the sake of mutual support an help. In hi? opinion there was no higher cause than tho"cause of labour. ( Other toabts honoured were "Tho King," "Kindred Societies," "The I.adies," and "The Press." A lengthy programme, comprising songs, recitations, stump spoech, and pianoforte solo was carried tlirougii, those taking part being Messrs Roddcn, o A. T. Smith, P. Scott, F. Smith, .1. Kent ncdy. M'Evoy, F. Munn, Lat-ta, Campbell, S M'Dowcll, Graham, M. Scott-, Wilson, and ;. L. Stokes. Mr Stokes contributed tho accompaniments. ■