PARTY POLITICS.

Press, Volume LXIII, Issue 19178, 8 December 1927, Page 8

PARTY POLITICS.

ABOUT A CONTRIBUTION.

harbour board and employers* association

Party politics were in evidence at yesterday's meeting of the Lyttelton Harbour Board, when the question of continuing membership with the Canterbury Employers' Association came u D .for consideration. The amount of the Board's usual contribution is £22 10s a year.

The acting-secretary and treasurer, Mr C H. Clibborn, stated that there were only eight local bodies connected with the association, and he did not think that the Board would gain anything by the continuation of its membership. He pointed out that tho Board paid to its employees Arbitration Court wages, and generally paid more. , „ , Mr F. Horrell moved that the contribution be discontinued. This was seconded by Captain H. Mr j. R. Hayward said that such a step struck him as being not quite fair. If the Board gave a lead as it was proposed it should, it would probably result in other bodies following it. The association kept in touch with all awards, fighting claims whenever necessary, and it gave its associated members a capable advocate free of charge. He maintained that it was absolutely necessary to keep in touch with the association; all employers in the Dominion got the benefit of the work done by the association. Mr H. T. Armstrong, M.P.: At the expense of the employees. Mr W. K. McAlpine: If we pull out other bodies will do so too. Mr E. J. Howard. M.P., said that the suljscription really amounted to a gift to one's friends. Mr H. T. Armstrong, M.P., said that after all the Board's employees were not covered by awards. So far, the Board had managed to get along nicely without the Arbitration Court and the Employers' Association. Tho Board had no right to use public money as a gift to keep down the expenses of private employers. He pointed out that the majority of the" members of the City Council were Labour members, and he asked what would be the position of the Council if it made a gift to the funds of the Trades Hall ? The Board could get just as good advice from the Trades Hall, he claimed, as from the association of which Mr Hayward was a member. "The City Council used to belong to>it," commented a member. Mr Armstrong: Untii men with a certain amount of common sense got on the Council. Who™ men with common sense got control, tney ceased to contribute. The Hon. Mr Moore, M.L.C., said that as employers the Board liad the right to continue its contribution to protect the public funds. A similar view was expressed by Mr J. Storry. Mr F. Horrell said that in the past the Board had had no trouble with its employees; so it did not seem necessary to continue membership with the association.

Captain Monro, who, when he seconded the motion, had been under the impression that it proposed to continue the subscription, now withdrew his support. The chairman then seconded tho motion.

Mr H. Holland, M.P-, said that it did not seem fair to him that the association should be left to fight buttles on behalf of the Board without payment. "They have never done so," said Mr Armstrong. The motion was lost bv 7 votes to 5; conseouently the association will receive the Board's contribution for another year of membership.