“ A CONTRIBUTION TO YOUR FRIENDS.”

Star (Christchurch), Issue 18332, 8 December 1927, Page 10

“ A CONTRIBUTION TO YOUR FRIENDS.”

FUNDS FOR EMPLOYERS’ ASSOCIATION OPPOSED BY BOARD MEMBERS.

“Let us take it for granted that this is a contribution to your friends,” said Mr E. J. Howard, M.P., at a meeting of the Lyttelton Harbour B«ard yesterday when the question of the continuance of the Board’s membership of the Employers* Association was under discussion. A motion to discontinue .membership was lost. The Canterbury Employers’ Association forwarded an account for £22 10s for membership fees. The secretary (Mr C. 11. Clibborn) ; As far as I can see, the board gets no benefit from this membership. He added that only eight local bodies contributed. He found it. hard to recommend that the board should continue its membership. Mr F. Horrell .moved that the board should discontinue its membership. Captain H. Monro seconded the motion. Mr J. R. Hayward said that it was not quite right that the board received no benefit. The Employers’ Association acted not only for the Lyttelton Board, but for the whole of the boards of New Zealand. Not only did it look after legislation, but it looked after the interpretation of awards. To a body like the Harbour Board, employing so many men, it was essential that membership should be continued. The association supplied, besides other things, an advocate free. Captain Monro then discovered that in seconding the motion, he thought that it was to the effect that the board should continue its membership. He withdrew his supoprt to the motion. Mr W. K. M’Alpine said that he thought that the board should continue its membership. If the board pulled out, other local bodies would pull out. They were not dealing with the matter as local bodies, but as employers. Mr E. J. Howard, M.P.: Let us take it for granted that this is a contribution given to > 7 our friends. If we have a dispute with our men, who is the right person to appear? Our secretary is the man. This idea of some myster} 7 is all bunk. It is a contribution to your friends. Recognise it as that. Mr 11. T. Armstrong, M.P., said that the board’s emplo3 7 ees wei-e not covered by awards. Mr M’Alpine: One hundred different awards cover them. Mr Armstrong said that anything that had been done in the matter of disputes had been fixed between the board and its empk>3 7 ees. “This is a gift to your friends,” he added. “If you want an advocate, we’l! supply one from the Trades Hall.” Mr Armstrong continued that on the present City Council there was a majority of Labour councillors. What would hap pen if the City Council decided to contribute to the funds of the Trades Hall. There would be headlines in every paper in New Zealand. The councillors would be prosecuted and sent to gaol and quite rightly too. This contribution was the same thing. It was nothing short of a scandal. Mr H. Holland, M.P.: The City Council used to be a member b£ it. Mr Howard: Yes, when you were on it. Mr Armstrong: Yes, until men with a certain amount of common sense got. on. Then it ceased to contribute. (Laughter). As the motion was without a seconder, the chairman (Mr A. Galbraith) seconded it. Mr Holland spoke against the n\otion.

On a vote being taken, five members voted for it and seven against.