GENERAL NEWS.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 19199, 16 June 1924, Page 5

GENERAL NEWS.

The half-yearly meeting of the St. Joseph’s Branch No. 73 of the H.A.C.B.S was held in St. Joseph’s Hall, Rattray street, on Tuesday-; Bro. R. A. Simpson presiding over a large attendance of members. Bros. A. Berland, J. Hughes, am! W. Simpson, who had been directed to visit (he sick, reported on their visits. Several accounts were passed for payment. Bro. J. J. Marlow (district deputy) and Bro. E, Lyng. branch delegates to the triennial meeting, gave their reports of the proceedings and of the work of the conference, which they stated w-a,s a groat success. On the motion of the president, Bro. R. A. Simpson, and Bro. A. Gillick, vice-president, a hearty vote of thanks was accorded the delegates for their reports. Routine business was transacted, after which the president called for nominations for officers for the next half-year. The following were nominated :—President, Bro. R. A. Simpson; vice-president. Bro. A. Gillick; treasurer, Bro. T. J. Boyle; secretary, Bro. J. J. Ford; warden, Bro. P. Hcsford; guardian, Bro. J. Fogarty; sick visitors. Bros. W. Simpson, J. Hughes, and A. Berland; auditors, Bro. J. J. Marlow,, Junior P. P., and Bro. J. X. Smith. The election of officers will take place next meeting. This concluded the business of the meeting, after which all present enjoyed a game of cards. At the last meeting of the South-end Class of the W.E.A. a rapid survey was made of “Socialism as an alternative to the present industrial system.” It was stated that the word socialism first appeared in 1827. It implied not so much an economic device as. in wider significance, a social order based on fraternity not competition. As the watchword of a cause it was doubtful whether any other had had a greater influence, for good or evil, during the last half-century, the ultimate results of which had yet to manifest themselves. Our present system had not been superimposed on the general social order, but had grown up until it took its present definite shape of capitalism since the industrial revolution. Its supporters pointed to the great variety of good produced under it daring the period, to the vast widening of trade and commerce, to the number who got employment in normal times, and to the openings for people, of ability, to the usually excellent regulation of prices—and its general contribution to progress. Us critics emphasised the amount of unemployment, the loss of craftsmanship, the much misdirected and wasteful overproduction in the struggle for markets, the mal-distribution of wealth, resulting net only in poverty but inefficiency and social unrest; and the lack of adequate utilisation of many resources having no profit to atract. Socialism was put forward in various forms to change all that Its method was sometimes evolutionary and sometimes revolutionary. It advocated -the nationalisation of municipalisation of all economic processes, the State not merely controlling, but ow-ing railways, factories, banks, etc., but not private personal property and working out the scientific organisation of industry Syndicalism and guild socialism objectives were also explained and some interesting discussions were carried on whether it was possible thus to change industry, or desirable to alter production and control in those ways.