INDUSTRIAL ASSOCIATION.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 6285, 16 September 1898, Page 4

INDUSTRIAL ASSOCIATION.

■ : " ♦ ! A meeting of the committee «f the {Industrial Association of Canterbury was hejld last evening ; ' present — Messrs J. Ai- Frbstick ([cliaarroaß), W. W. Charters, R. Jfochanan, A. W. BeaveD, W. Congreve, J. R. Triggs,H. B. Kark, A. G. Howland, A. H| Hanatiolt-,. Gv _&. Hart and Captain MGlatchie.. Apologies for absence were receive*! from Messrs J. Waler, R. W. England, Ji' Madders anil. ST. -Horslejr- . - T_e' Se-_wßary was instructed to cebl the I convener* ■ oS ike. Visiting Committees together; so- that new arrangements mi^&t be made for, carrying' out their work. . . They Chairman' stated that since the last meeting'fie had visited 'the President the Industrial'- Corporation, and had been instructed' to convey to the Canterbury [Association official 1 recognition of the Jubilee Exhibition of 1900". The Industrial Exhibition in BrreraargiE was not being organised by^the local Industrial Association, but by a number of citizens*- The Secretary hadj beerinstructed to" write to Invercargill, stating that any communication, must come through ; the local branch of the Industrial Corporation. The question; of preferential duties had been taken up by the Corporation) but ; they had got into difficulties and had had to '. abandon the discussion. As they had seen, _ Mr Brown was dealing vigorously with Mr i Morrison, and that matter would be brought ] up later in the evening. i A letter was read from the prompters of j tbe Invercargill Exhibition, stating that the date, fixed for it *yas December, 1899, to ■• February i 1900. They could not now alter : the date,, but did. notr think it would interfere . with; the Canterbury fixture.. They asked the assistance of the Canterbury Association, and would reciprocate when the time came. The letter sent in reply was approved. The Chairman said that on the publication of the statements made by Mr A. Morrison, M.H.R., as to colonial apprentices, he had sent out circulars to those interested, and had received several replies, which he had forwarded to Mr S. Brown, President of the Industrial Corporation. Both workmen and employers were indignant at the attitude taken up by Mr Morrison. Such statements as he had made not only belittled the ability of colonial boys and their employers,! but tended to damage colonial industry. He read a letter from Mr J. Greig, of the Master Builders' Association, who stated that he had been in the House of Representatives when Mr Morrison had made the statements with reference to colonial boys, and could say that he was entirely wrong as far as the building trade was concerned. Mr Greig gave a list of twenty-three master builders and nineteen foremen who had been trained in the colony; This letter Mr Frostick said, would be forwarded to Mr Brown, and he would suggest that that gentleman should be thanked, for the action he had taken, and requested to continue his efforts. Mr Hancock movedi— " That this Association heartily thanks Mr Brown for the action taken by him regarding the statements made by Mr Morrison as to young 'New Zealand workers,, requests him to continue his efforts, and, further,strongly protests against the action of tlie Canterbury Trades and Labour Council hi endorsing Mr Morrison's statements." Mr Buchanan, who seconded the motion, said that, with one exception, the boys who had passed through Ids hands were now all m full employment. One was in Timaru, two were in Victoria, and several were in the North Island. Mr Morrison's statement was a downright slander on both the boys and their employers. Mr Triggs said that his firm had, some time ago, had -a--boy;-from.;Burnliam who, after learning tlie drapery trade in Chriatchurch, fad leit for London. There he had entered the service of a well-known: drapery firm and was. now their Australian and New Zea^ hind representative. Another of tlieir younomen had also recently gone to London, and that same firm, being so pleased 'with thenexperience of New Zealanders, had given him employment at a good salary. Mr Kirk also supported the motion. . Mr beaven said that Mr Morrison's indiscretion had, unfortunately, not stayed there, since the. Canterbury Trades and Labour Council had endorsed his statements. , The question regarding apprentices had been, fought out before an impartial tribunal, the Arbitration Court, .and had been decided against the men. Mr Charters instanced the case of a colonial boy who had learned the engineering trade in New Zealand, and was now one of the chief instructors in the Chinese navy. Mr Howland said he had liad thirty-five years' experience of colonial boys, and found them most apt. pupil's. Moreover, boys who learned their trades learned all the branches, instead of, perhaps, one or two. The motion was then put and carried unanimously, and the meeting closed.