WORK AND WAGES.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 6091, 31 January 1898, Page 4

WORK AND WAGES.

THE ENGINEERS' LOCK-OUT. Another "rally" meeting was held in Cathedral Square on Saturday evening to raise funds for the members of the Amalgamated Society of Engineers, who have been locked out in England. There was a very large attendance, and the chair was occupied by Mr A. J l . Talbot, who in opening the proceedings said that Mr C. Lewis, M.H.E., had been asked to preside, but had not vouchsafed an answer. lie read apologies for absence from Mr G. Laurenson and the Eev 0. Porter, both of whom had been asked to speak. Mr Laurenson wrote that be was unable to attend on that evening, but would be g-lad to assist at any future time, and enclosed a contribution of half a guinea. Tha Rev C. Porter, whilst expressing full" sympathy with the men in their .endeavour to secure what he considered to be their just rights, regretted that he would be absent from town. The Chairman than traced the rise and progress of the labour movement, and made an appeal for funds on behalf of those locked out from their work. Ho pointed out that the struggle was : one between those who wore endeavouring to up class privileges against a worthy class of men who were endeavouring to effect reforms so that they and their families could lead better and nobler livesl In the fight the engineers were pinching themselves for what they considered' a noble cause, and in their efforts to gain their ends their wives and families were suffering greatly from the want of funds. ' Mr S. Billcliff explained the reasons which had led up to the lock-out, and pointed out that the War Office, the Admiralty, Mr James Keith, the Telephone Works, and Messrs Mallard and Peat, of Manchester, had for some time tried the eight hours day with^ success, but it was opposed by a combination with Colonel Dyer at its head. This astute gentleman having come to the conclusion that the movement would succeed if not interfered with, determined to thwart it, if possible, and, with a strong combination of employers at his back, he was endeavouring to crush the Engineers' Union out of existence. The employers had organised, with the intention of starving the working-men into submission, and many of them had already learned a sad lesson by being deprived of the bare necessaries of life, while they were. also compelled to see their little ones suffer or else give in and lose all the privileges they had gained by years of hard fighting, v Previous to the workers having a right to combine, the masters had had an opportunity of showing whether they had any sympathy with the workers or not ; but by forcing nien, women and children to work extremely long hours in mines, they proved that they had none, and it was only by combination on the part of the "employes that they had been enabled toimprove their position ;" and were they to lose all tliey had gained at the command of such a man as Colonel Dyer? He blamed the system inore than he did the masters of the present day, many of whom had- been forced into the position they were taking up in this matter against their inclinations. The struggle which had commenced in the demand for an eight-hour day had now resolved itself into a fight for life on the part of the Union. He pointed out that the Amalgamated Society of Engineers was one of the best labour organisations in the world. It had contributed no less than <£l»4,000 to other organisations, when it had been appealed to for assistance, and surely in the hour of its need it had a right to .expect assistance. The Society had on its books at the present time over 3000 pensioners who were too old to work. If the employers won the present fight and .capital conquered, • the workers would lose all the advantages they had previously gained, and the victory would be reflected here. It behoved the workingclasses here to watoh the course of ovents closely. They must return men to Parliament who would assist in passing just legislation, and who could be depended upon to see that the pro- - gressive labour legislation which had been so ably begun was continued. Thereshonld be an endeavour made to federate the workers throughout the world, and until this was done it would be one incessant fight between capital and labour. Mr H. A. Atkinson, in the course of his address, said the present trouble had arisen through the obstinacy of three London firms, all of whom were Government contractors, as the great majority of the English firms were prepared to concede an eight-hour day. The conditions upon which the masters now wished the men to return to work wero, that the men should disband their Union and treat with their employers individually, but that they I themselves should be allowed to federate. Surely this was most unreasonable, and in such a one-sided struggle, he thought the ■men who were locked out, and their wives and families who were suffering with them, deserved the support of all right thinking persons. ■ Mr " W. .Whiting also addressed the meeting.