Wellington, September 10.

Otago Witness, Issue 2116, 13 September 1894, Page 17

Wellington, September 10.

The Trades and Labour Council have appointed a deputation to wait on the Hon. Mr Reeves and urge him to legislate on the Chinese question this session. The council have strongly protested against the action of the Railway Commissioners in forbidding the railway servants to affiliate with any other body, and it was decided to place that matter before the Premier.

An executive meeting of the New Zealand Workers' Union was held at the head office, Waimate, on Saturday evening, the vicepresident being in the chair. A large amount of correspondence was dealt with, including a letter from the Gore branch ttating that the Waikaia agency wished to be constituted a separate branob, with plenary powers ; and as the members there were chiefly miners, it was suggested that the Workers' Union should be brought under "The Mining Act 1891." Mr O'Brien said he had written for full information concerning the mining regulations, and hoped to place these before the nexb meeting. 16 was resolved that Waikaia should become a branch. Correspondence was received from' Australia which stated that the men on strike were gaining ground. A cable message was also received from the Workers' Union, Sydney, stating that shearers were winning nearly everywhere. It was unanimously resolved that) the secretary should write congratulating the Australian Workers' Union on the success already obtained, and hoping that a speedy termination of the dispute in favour of the workers would be effected-.

The annual report of the Amalgamated Society of Carpenters and Joiners for 1893 is to hand. The remarks of Mr F. Caandler, the general secretary, give food for reflection," He, like the secretary of the Engineers' Society, speaks of depression, This affeoted chiefly those engaged in shipbuilding, for, singularly enough, those engaged in the housebuilding industry aeoured, in numerous instances, increased wages. While there were disputes at Home, the society had to send £3000 to Australasia to enable colonial branches to pay unemployed and othei-3 the benefits they were entitled to* Such a statement as this cannot be looked at with much satisfaction, except so far as it shows the advantages of belonging to t% large and united 1 society. At the close of the year the society had 629 branches and 40,996 members. The income was £109,722, while the expenditure was £109,441, both showing an iscreaseover the previous year. The cash balance amounts to £72,920 118 3d, and the total assets are valued at £2 la 7d per ordinary member. The amount expended in unemployed benefit was £30,508 12s s£d, or 19a 5d per member, and in replacing tools, £2620 11s lOd. Siok benefit was the heaviest vet experienced, the total being £24,511 7s lid, or 15h 3d per member. The funeral grant was £4553 ; benevolent grai.ts, £1279; grants to other trades, £1154; trade privileges — that is, payments iv cases of strikes and lockouts— £15,904 18s lG£d, or 8s 3sd per member.

The carpenters and joiners, like tha engineers, are becoming alarmed about the system of superannuation, and those who desire to deal with the question of old age pensions will h&ve to study carefully the experiences of auch associations. The sum paid by this Carpenters' and Joiners' Society in 1093 was £7810 63 2£(i, or 4-s Id per member. The expenditure under thia head has increased £5149 in 10 years, and as this average increase will be maintained the lowest possible calculation shows that in 20 years the society will have to pay £18,523 per annum, equivalent to the full yearly contribution of 7124- members.