FURNITURE TRADE.

Sun (Christchurch), Volume I, Issue 61, 18 April 1914, Page 11

FURNITURE TRADE.

FEDERATION CONGRESS. SICK AND FUNERAL FUND. The biennial congress of the New Zealand Furniture Trade Federation was resumed this morning, Mr D. G. Sullivan presiding. The report of the committee set ap to consider the question of a national sick benefit and funeral fund was reSd by Mr Ferguson. The committee brought down two alternative proposals. The first was that a fund be established on the lines of the fund of the Wellington Union, and that the federation donate £SO as anucleus of the fund. The weekly contribution should be 2d per member, and contribution would be purely voluntary. It was proposed that the opinion of an actuary be obtained as to whether or not the scheme could be carried out. The alternative proposal was that the estimate of an insurance company be obtained for the taking over of the fund, on a basis of 600 members. The benefits in this case would be £1 per week for the first thirteen weeks, whereas in accordance with the Wellington rules the payirient is 10/-; and for the next thirteen weeks 10/-, instead of 5/-; also that the funeral benefit be £lO, instead of £5, as in Wellington. The report was discussed at some length. Mr Euston (Dunedin) said that a voluntary scheme on such g low basis of contribution stood self-condemned. He was strongly of the opinion that an actuarial opinion should be obtained before anything was done. An actuary took into consideration many things, and in order to secure the soundness of a fund, often stipulated a contribution which was considerably larger than was necessary in actual practice. They would be justified in taking 75 per cent, of the actuary's estimate of the contribution necessary for the working of the scheme.

Mr Home (Gisborne) said that he had been responsible for the alternative proposal in the committee's report. It practically a scheme for reinsurance. If a company undertook the risk they were absolutely safe, and he thought that they should proceed on these lines at least for a commencement.

Mr Lewis (Auckland) said that they had had a reinsurance seheine in Auckland to cover members 7 tools, and it was not a success. By effecting the insurance themselves they had saved money hand over fist. Mr Kennedy said that it was not necessary to put the fund on an actuarr ial basis. The insurance companies were in the business to make money, whereas the unions were not. They did not want to accumulate funds, but only to lend a.helping hand to a brother in distress. The scheme should be a generous one, and no insurance company would give anything like such terms. They had found in Wellington that the proposed contribution was ample to cover all claims. If the scheme were a purely voluntary one, and by any accident the fund should run out, no member would expect payment frpm the fund. At the same time, in a case of distress, the Federation would not see a member who had been contributing "stuck" for a little assistance. (Hear, hear.)

The chairman said that there was a great necessity for an actuary's opinion, even if they did not rigidly follow

Mr Euston: That's my point, Mr chairman.

Mr Home said that if anything were to go wrong with the fund and the Federation had' to come to its assistance, a charge would be put on union members who were not contributing to the fund. The question was of morals. If an actuary's opinion were sought the Federation would have to pay for it, whereas the opinion of an insurance company, which was practically the same thing, could be obtained for nothing. Mr Silverston (Dunedin) said that Mr Kennedy's arguments must carry weight, as they were based on solid experience. The Wellington Union had been carrying on its fifnd for years, and the fund had always been found to be sound. He thought that the Federation should adopt the scheme of the Wellington Union, and after a couple of years they would know by experience how the schem-e worked. Any scheme of re-insurance would merely mean the putting of profits into the pockets of company shareholders, who had nothing to do with the trade. He n-as opposed even to the taking of an actuary's opinion. Insurance companies* had to guard against epidemics and other happenings, which their own experience of their trade showed them never occurred in actual experience. The motion to establish the fund on the lines of the Wellington fund was carried by a large majority. The alternative proposal with regard, to asking the opinion of an insurance company was rejected, and it was decided to consult an actuary. The executive was instructed to draft rules for the fund. The rules will be submitted to the unions.

Mr Kennedy moved, on behalf of the Wellington Union, that congress take into consideration the advisability of joining the Australasian Furniture Federation, and further taking a share in the "Federal Journal." Mr Lewis (Auckland) said he had discussed the matter with the Australian delegate, who to return to Sydney without meeting the conference, and as a result of the discussion he could say that the opinion of the Australian Federation was that the differences in the Labour laws of New Zealand and Australia were such as to preclude any direct conjunction, but there were three points on which the two federations could come together, and these were the arrangement of a system of uniform clearance cards, the uniform insurance of tools, and co-opera-tion in the formation of a furniture trades' journal. The proposals were taken in order, and the executive was empowered to enter into an agreement with the Australian Union respecting a uniform clearance card for all Australasian Furniture Trade Unions. The Tiiatters relating to tool insurance and to taking a share in the trade journal were considered to involve too many financial difficulties at present, and were i deferred for future consideration; but it was made a recommendation to New I Zealand unions that they should support j the journal as far as possible. ! "With regard to a Wellington remit | proposing a new set of rules, Mr SulliI van said that the question of drafting thenj was too big to discuss at this stage, ami since the executive had already too much work to do he suggested

that their discussion should be deferred. It was accordingly deferred until the next conference.

The following Auckland remits were adopted: —That all unions be requested to hold their meetings on or about the same date in each month, and that they be requested to send monthly to all other unions a report on the state of trade in their particular district, the reports to be sent on or about the same date.

The following remits from Auckland were proposed: —That representations be made to the Government to have the English Eag Flock Act placed on the Statute Book of New Zealand, and that legislation be sought to prevent the sale of all second-hand bedding and upholstered work until it has been subjected to a disinfecting process. It was stated with regard to the first proposal that its object was to ensure that the material should conform to a certain standard of quality. The English production, it was said, was of much better quality than that produced in New Zealand. SECOND-HAND BEDDING.

Mr Silverstone (Diwiedin), in seconding the proposals, spoke strongly of the need for preventing the sale of second; hand bedding, which was a danger to public health and a frequent cause of the spread of epidemics. This was a matter which particularly affected poor people, since it was only the poor who had to buy second-hand goods. Mr Stewart (Dunedin) said he did not think such legislation would be effective. He approved of the idea, but thought the danger was much exaggerated—everyone who travelled slept on second-hand beds, and in all his 40 years' experience he had never known of a single case of sickness taken by men in working up second-hand bedding. Mr Silverstone, in reply, said that though legislation might not be effective in all cases, it would prevent traffic in insanitary bedding by secondhand dealers, which would be one good purpose effected. Both remits were carried. AMALGAMATION OF KINDEED TRADES.

The last remit from Auckland was:— That the Federation Executive follow the example of Australia and endeavour to bring about the amalgamation of all unions engaged in kindred trades.

Mr Agger asked permission to withdraw the remit owing to its contentious nature and the late stage of the conference.

Mr Sullivan said he thought the proposal was premature, and, as far as Canterbury was concerned, it was hopeless. . Efforts had been made to join with other building trades in Christchurch, but the proposals had been rejected. He hoped in time that' the proposal would be carried, but in the meantime, recognising its impossibility, he would vote against it. Mr Silverstone then proposed the following motion:—"That,.the executive be instructed to invite an informal conference of the executives of other woodworking Federations, and report to the next conference." The delegate said that there was a need for keeping the matter to the front, so that the importance of effecting such an amalgamation would not be lost sight of.

Mr Agger seconded the motion, which was carried on the casting vote of the chairman.

The conference concluded with a vote of thanks to thejjexecutive for its work during the year.