ENGINEERS' CONFERENCE

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 679, 2 December 1909, Page 10

ENGINEERS' CONFERENCE

A PROPOSED NEW AWARD,- • -/DELEGATES ENTERTAINED. r A conference of delegates of tho Amalgamated Society of Engineers was continued yesterday; in tho offices of the Australasian Institute of Marino Engineers, Queen's Chambers. ; The principal discussion of' the'.conference was in connection with the proposed now award, and proceedings were conducted in. private. Hope was expressed that the two. societies— the Amalgamated Society of Engineers and tho Australasian Institute of Marine Engineers— would work together more amicably, in the interests of- all branches of tho engineering profession. A committee was set up by .the conference, with instructions to; endeavour to arrange a working agreement between the two societies. Tho idea was to have a'rcciDrocal treaty. Delegates remarked 'that, in the past, the societies had worked quito independently, one looking after marine engineers only, and the other watching the interests of shore engineers in'oro particularly.- ■ It is expected that tho business of the conference will concludo to-day.. The delegates wore entertained at a smoke concert in the Hotel Windsor last evening, Mr. W. G. D. Evans presiding. Mr. 1\ E. Baumo, M.P. (Auckland), was present. Tho chairman remarked that a few years ago the A.S.E. had been "tt disjointed body, and tho 'conference had been arranged by the New Zealand authorities for tho purpose of improving the condition of members. Tho membership was increasing, and they must remember that they wcro part of a large institution, with 100,000 members, whoso headquarters vero in London. He expected that in a few years itwould bo desirable to, form a New Zealand Council (with headquarters in Wellington), oh a similar basis to that of tho . Australasian Council, under wbosfc jurisdiction they now worked. ', .

Mr. Haynes (Dunedin), in proposing -the toast of "Our Society," said mat there were' evidences that members of the Wellington Society possessed a good deal of fellow-feeling, and the branch was progressing Tapidly, as the society had done all tho world over. , Tho society not only helped its members in connection with their wovk, but it extended benefits to them in sickness. If an unemployed member camo to, a city ho would find a couple of hundred fellow-members ready to seek out work for. him. Many members had appreciated the superannuation scheme, which was not a charity,-: but a right to financial assistance which members acquired when they got up in-, years. Tho society had always treated tho, employers amicably, and asked only a fair day's pay foi a fair day's work. > Employers realised' that membership of the society could bo looked upon as a guarantee that v men were qualified and efficient workers.

Mr. Elston, organising., delegate, : said that the society would next year celebrate its diamond jubilee. In 1850,' thd. society had 11,829 members, of whom 119.'received the -"dona-, tion" benefit, 52 sick benefit, ■■' and 5 superannuation. Tho present membership' roll -had 107,501 names, of whom. 18.355 received benefit, amounting to £1167 per week. Tho present balance of the. society was .£608,777. Ho. had .now been almost right' through New Zealand, and, although tho had not been as satisfactory as he, in his enthusiasm, had expected, ho 'believed that good results would follow. In England, members of the society ,werc looked, upon as the aristocrats of the trades' union world, !and every battleship built passed through the hands of, members of the A.S.E. ' . V,."-' In responding to the toast of 'Tarliamenf (proposed by Mr. J. Valentine, of Petone), Mr. Baume said,that the society would.bo judged by the standing of-the least competent man in its ranks, and they, should see that an entrance test would make'it-assured that only qualified and.reliable men were admitted.. Other toasts were: "Visiting Delegates" (proposed by the chairman), and "The, Press." A number of enjoyable musical items were' tributed by Messrs;' Haigh, . Blakely, Flight, Kcroggs, Corliss, Darling, Elston, Hinchcliffc, and.Turner. : '.;?.. , . '.'■'.-