PRIVATE BENEFIT SOCIETIES.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 5519, 20 March 1896, Page 3

PRIVATE BENEFIT SOCIETIES.

[Per Press Association.] WELLINGTON, March 20. At the meeting of the Trades and Labour Council, a letter was received from the Federated Seamen's Union, soliciting the support of the Council in the direction of assisting the Union, by any means that might' be>, deemed expedient, to abolish those private benefit societies instituted by employers, where the employment was conditional only on accepting membership. Societies of this nature were becoming so numerous as to seriously menace the interests and liberty of the wage-earners generally. Most .of these societies, the letter stated, were established ostensibly for philanthropic purposes, but experience had shown that the majority were merely thinly disguised capitalistic devices to keep the wage-earners in subjection and more effectually bend them to the wishes of the employers. The members of the Union felt themselves sorely oppressed in being compelled to contribute to the Society incepted by the Union Steamship Company some years ago. The rules of this society were arbitrary in the extreme, and clearly showed the reasons for bringing it into existence. No changes could be effected in its constitution without the consent os, the company, which further insisted that, no person in its employ, should be a member of a Union that the company does not recognise. With the reign of terror now exercised over them, the members dared not raise their voices against this tyranny, and they now looked to the Legislature to grant them ' relief. The Union was of opinion that if sufficient pressure could be brought to bear, the Government might be induced to include such a measure in its policy next session, which • would materially enhance its prospects when it reached the Legislative Council. The letter was referred to the conference. DEPUTATION TO A MINISTER. A deputation of the unemployed waited upon the Hon W. Hall-Jones, Minister of Public Works, this morning, and pointed out that 167 men were on the unemployed list in Wellington, 101 of whom must have work immediately, as they were in dire distress. The Minister made a lengthy reply, the effect of which was that the Government was doing all that it could at present, and could do nothing more. He would, however, lay the representations of the deputation before the Minister of Labour as soon as he returned. A meeting of the unemployed was held subsequently, when it was decided, owing to the unsatisfactory nature of the reply given by the Minister, to continue organising, and to appeal to the public for assistance.