COMPLIMENTARY SOCIAL.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 19068, 14 January 1924, Page 9

COMPLIMENTARY SOCIAL.

RAILWAY SERVANTS’ FUNCTION,

In recognition of his recent election as president of the New Zealand Amalgamated Society of Railway Servants, Mr M. Connelly was tendered a complimentary social at Kroon's Had on Saturday night by the Otago branch, when there was a large attendance of railwaymon. Mr R. J. Brown (president of the Otago branch) occupied the chair. Mr J. F. Pearce, in proposing the toast of the guest of the evening, referred to the great services Mr Connelly had rendered railvvaymen. He had been the secretary of the 'thorndon branch of the A.S.R.S., and later chairman of the Greymouth branch. After his transfer to Otago he had been elected delegate to the annual conference and again to the special conference, and had held the position of delegate ever since. On the retirement of Mr W. Sullivan in October last, he had been elected to the position of president of the N.Z.A.S.R.S.— (Applause.) Mr Connelly, in reply, thanked them for the manner in which they had drunk his health. As the Otago branch’s representative, it was unfortunate that he was located at Omakau, as he could not address the branch on vital questions as often as ho would like to. The A.S.R.S. was first formed as a result of the death of a railwayman, and was'now the largest organisation of its kind in the country. They were living in a capitalistic age when the capitalists were linked up internationally. Mr Connelly quoted a report, presented to the House of Lords on shipping trusts and combines, which showed the organisation of capital. He stressed the point that to combat capitalism they must have intensified organisation and educational propaganda, without which no labour organisation could hope to succeed. In referring to the conference of delegates of the society in Wellington, from which he had just returned, Mr Connelly said that it had resulted in the linking-up of the other two railway organisations—the Railway Officers’ Institute and the Engine-drivers’, Firemen’s and Cleaners’ Association. Ho referred to the press in relation to the Arbitration Court; and said that the strongest indictment against the Arbitration Court was the fact that it had decreed that, the basic wage in this country should be £3 16s Id, and that under those conditions a reasonable standard of living could not be maintained. In conclusion the speaker said that the remedy for the worker was education, so that at election time he could record his vote in an intelligent manner. Other toasts honoured were: “The New Zealand Labour Party,” proposed by Mr A. J. Morrison and responded to by Messrs G. Carter, M.P., Brisbane, and W. Jones (Otago Labour Representation Committee); ‘‘Kindred Societies,” proposed by Mr A. Duncan, responded to by Messrs E. L. Sincock (Engine-drivers’, Firemen’s, and Cleaners’ Association), and A. T. Pittaway (Railway Officers’ Institute); “The A.5.R.5.,” proposed bv Mr E. L. Sincock, responded to by Mr S. Riley. An efficient orchestra, under Mr A. L. Walton, rendered enjoyable selections during the evening, and items were given by the following:—Messrs C. Fahey, S. Riley, F. Gray, J. Grant, W. Darling, and Graham.