MEETING OF NELSON JOINERS.

Colonist, Volume LIII, Issue 13057, 17 March 1911, Page 2

MEETING OF NELSON JOINERS.

ADDRESS BY MR, L. F. EVANS,

Last night, Mr. L. F. Evans, organising secretary of the Amalgamated Society of Carpenters and Joiners, addressed a meeting of the Nelson branch of the society in the Chamber of Commerce room. Mr. N. Graham presided. Mr. Evans spoke at considerable length on the importance of labour federation, which was now in the air from one end of the Dominion to the other. It was only by federation that they could make advance. He explained the objects and workings of the federation of unions, and stated that the new rules would be issued about the end of th© present month. The carpenters and joiners in the society now numbered 3,500, and it was hoped that in a few months' time there would bo 5,000 members, 'remembers each paid 6d per wc-A, <« which 3d went to defray the cost of obtaining the society's benefitsl, 2d to the work of the society in the country, and Id remained for purely ]ocal purposes. Mr. Brans pointed out that carpenters and joiners were the lowest paid tradesmen in the. Dominion. The federation would demand one award for the whole of the Dominion, and this would benefit carpenters and joiners in Nelson and many other places very considerably. In regard to wages there were people silly enough to say that high wages meant a high j cost of living. The high cost of living in Now Zealand was due to the high prie© of land. During the past ten years the land of the Dominion had'advanced £40,000,000 in value, That explained the increased cost of living. During the past 50 years the wealth of the world had increased one hundred fold, and yet large numbers of workers felt the pinch of poverty. Tho federation would endeavour to scsure representation in Parliament for tho workers. He warned th© members of the society, and all workers,- to prepare for another slump in trade, because, as land was continuously advancing in price, a great slump was inevitable. They were tof.d that there were no trusts in this country. He pointed to th^ Flour Millers' Association as a sample of the trusts which existed. If England only had manhood suffrage, as New Zealand had, she would leave this country far behind. He'urged the workers "to bestir themselves, and to federate with the object of generally improving their position.

The proceedings closed with a vote of thanks to Mr Evans for his address.