Amalgamated Society of Railway Servants.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 4739, 2 September 1893, Page 5

Amalgamated Society of Railway Servants.

♦ The quarterly general meeting of members of the Canterbury branch of this ! Society was held on Thursday, at the hall ' of the Sydenham Working Men'e Club. ! There was a fair attendance. 'I he Chairman, in his address, informed those present that the branch had made : satisfactory progress during the quarter, \ there being a substantial increase in both j credit balance and membership; that ; there had been two deaths since last ; meeting, and that the Bum realised by No. 1 9 death-levy, and paid over to the widow J of the late Mr John Barnett, of the Addington Workshops, amounted to <£48 17s Bd, £3 23 8d in advance of the previous cne, ehowiag that the Society's system of \ insurance waa rapidly gaining in favour ■ with the members. He referred to the uu- { representative nature of the late confer- '< ence held in Wellington to consider the Commissioners' insurance proposals, and I the steps taken by the Executive to coun- ■ teract its probable effects. Speaking of I the Labour question generally, he drew : attention to the universal desire on the '-. part of the workers to better their social . condition, as evidenced by the numerous strikes and agitations in various parts of the world, and pointed to complete comi bination as the only possible way for com- | polling reforms which will produce the i elevation of the workers to a higher social ; level. He reminded the members of the ' nearness of the general election, and impressed upon them the necessity of sinking j all minor differences of opinion, and i acting unitedly upon that occasion, pro- ! claiming that so far at least as they were concerned every other question must assume a subordinate position to that of ; Liberalism, progress and the amelioraj tion of the condition of the workers. The usual routine business having been ; disposed of, the President of the Society, Mr W. Eoban, gave a full report of his recent visit to Wellington, and bis actions i regarding the Insurance Conference. ! The political platform submitted by the I conference of delegates from the various | trades organisations was considered seriatim, and finally approved of with the , following amendments, viz.: —In Plank i 6, shearers and railway men were added I to sea in en and commercial travellers, as J being exempt from the residential qualii ficatioD of eleotors. PJank 8, relating to licensing' questions, and Plank 9, dealing with the oxtension of the franchise to women, were struck out, as having a tendency to cause a split in the Liberal ' Party. Plank 31, providing for the referendum being applied on all State questions, and Plank 12, affirming the prinoiple of unseating a member of the House of Representatives upon a two-thirds adverse vote of his constituents, were also eliminated on accouut of their impracticability. In response to an invitation from the Liberal Association, seven delegates were appointed to meet the Committee of that body for the purpose of determining upon the best method for selecting Liberal candidates for the ensuing general election. A hearty vote of thanks to the President for bis energetic action whilst in Wellington, to the membera of the Executive for their attendance, and also to .the jCh&tfc. majb concluded, the bvisjn^Bs*' ' ~ "]

Eefreshments having been provided Ml the Committee, most of the mttDMß' remained to spend p,n hour pb&sattmfr Seveiftl toasts and songs rapidly fiUeott' the available time, and the gathering «2j WU«ht to a clos,e with the flinemat M a AvA^Oing Syne." wubww^ji