THE WHARF WORKERS

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2321, 1 December 1914, Page 7

THE WHARF WORKERS

UNION AFFAIRS ANNUAL MEETING OF MEMBERS. The Wellington Wharf. Labourers' .Union held: its annual meeting last evening. Mr. A. .-Black presided. The absence of the-' president,. (Mr. F. Curtice) was due to illness. There were about SO members present. . ; :In : a report forwarded by the president (Mr. Curtice) it was stated that ijlready -the new executive liad carried out. some changes' for the benefit of members. New and amended rules had placed the government of the union in the hands' of the members. . If such had been the case when the union was form? Ed, tho unioii; would not be in the sorry plight it was in Hia' advice to members was -to -look, after their own business, attend the meetings, see that their instructions given,<to their'officers ,iwere:carriedi out;'keep the,agreement to the letter, aid- see. that the employers kept it. (Applause,^;: ; . V' : : The secretary '.presented a statement of affairs as the; new - executive found them on November 23, 1914. / It' was stated that the position the late, executive left the-union in'.was that there ..was a credit of £5)173. 6d. at tho baoik. The receipts were.'shown .at £1605' ss. 3d., of which £1599 19s; Sd.' came from contributions and' 'ehtrance fees.' The expenditure! was set down at £1591 18s. lid. ■'• Among the items of expenditure were:—Executive expenses,:'£B6 , 14a. Bd.; legal expenses,;j£l6s os: 3d.; tobacco and cigarettes,"l6si.'.64.; clerical, .£ll2 ■ 18s. lOd.;~ office, rent, ; £43 6s. 3d.; office'furniture, '£60 14s. - 6d.; Huntly Belief Fund," £100. '• : ' : The.liabilities'.wero stated to be £142 4s. 9d., and the assets to be £79 12s. lod.

A letter from Messrs. Williams; Hunt and Co., auditors, stated that they were .unable' to ■ present, any statements as thoy 'had not 'completed, their, audit of .the hooks.' which.fwere not in balance! ■ : ' The ' following of'" nloneys 'drawn by members of the- late ' Executive as ' "expenses'', was % readE. J. Jones, £180 75.; J... L. £179 2s. 3d.; C. A.:E;'Purdy,£B6 Bs.;'R. R. ' Pointon, £5&/ ; l6s':.M.vConhell, £93 Is: ;>T. J; Laddj £57 19s. • W. I: Shanly, • 132 8s; 2d.; W. O. Long, £30j H. Cal- . ughan, £35.65.; 'J. Shandy £24';125. 3d".;; iWv Chandler, -£22 '14s. „9d.; A. Black, £17 10s.; A'. Z. Walker, £13 155.; W. G. Jones, £17 15s'..;7E.'.'St: L. Simpson; £6; E. Murphy, £4 v 25.*6d.; and- E. Bennett. 3,15. 4d. total, £862 14s. 3d. "An opinion from. Mr. C.' B. Morison, KC-, was then read, to the'effect that lio payment to members of the executive could, go beyond this .resolution, niade. by'. a' eeneral ■ meetirig: "That all. members of the executive be paid out of Urnon funds .for allVtimeVlost through attending executive meetings . during .working hours." -; The ; executive had no power to fix the rate arbitrarily at £1 ss. per day. : This opinion was datfed February 11, 1914. v. .;. , The secretary (Mr. J. G. Bruce) reported that ho had'only held office since_ 1914.Since: the incep-' tion of the union, (about'a! year ago) there ha.d been six-other .secretaries and three.' presidents, ■■■ which"...indicated 1 a stormy. passage.■ -The aid of. all hands was needed:-to steer the,-ship off the lee shore. ■ . The operations of the late executive. were criticised, and it -was asserted tha£ tho union had been mismanaged. . , '.. \. : . ..' •. ! . -I'The affairs■ of: .'the r:.4i.scused for some time, / and-the discussion was then adjourned till after the receipt' of•• the auditor's report... ' ■' Nominations, for'offices, w^re;'received. as -follow President,'.' Mr. : ' E'-' Curtice (elected -unopposed);. viqii-president, 'Mr. 'A. Black (elected unopposed)'; secretary, Messrs. J. 6. Bruce, J. .H. . Hill,. j. Lanvood; assistant-secretary, Messrs. R. Richards, A. 6. Lindsay, H. Callaghanj/ and -G. "H. • Gray; treasurer, Messrs;-W. T. Bassett,vD;. r Smith, W. D. James, H. A. Taylor."■■/'■ Th© ballot will be taken'on December 16 and 17. • ■ Mr. P. Murphy .was ..elected returning officer t and Messrs. D. Reidy and G. .Vincent were elected scrutineers: ■ The- meeting stands' adjourned till December 15. ■'-• .'.