RAILWAY BENEFIT SOCIETY.

Globe, Volume IX, Issue 1348, 10 June 1878, Page 3

RAILWAY BENEFIT SOCIETY.

A meeting of railway employes was held on Friday evening last to take into consideration the advisableness of establishing a Christchurch branch of the New Zealand Railways Employes' Benefit Society, which is registered under the Act, and which it is intended shall absorb all local institutions of the kind at present existing. The meeting was very largely attended, representatives not only from Christchureh and suburbs, but from the f North and South lines being present. Mr W. Conyers occupied the chair, and among those present were Mr Back, general manager, Mr Fyfe, accountant, and several other heads of departments. Alter carrying a resolution unanimously that it was desirable to form the society, the election of officers took place with the following remit:—President, Mr Conyers; vice-presidents, Messrs Fred. Back, Allison D. Qmith, and J. H. Lowe; treasurer, Mr P. Ellis; secretary, Mr Francis H. Valpy; trustees, Messrs Hannay and Fyfe ; auditors, Messrs Ollivier and Ghiw ; and a committee of thirteen, composed of Messrs Menzios, Dickenson, Spencer, MeKeima, Fowke, Frume, Heaton, Knight, M'Ghron, Townson, MoSherry, Bradley, and Biuskin. The Otago rides were then considered seriatim, and the

chairman explained satisfactorily one or two points which required elucidation. The whole body of rules, with a few insignificant amendments, were adopted unanimously. There exists a clause in the rules and regulations of the New Zealand railways that every member of the service shall join a legitimately established Railway Benefit Society whenever such may be formed, and it has been decided that, while it is optional for those employes to join who were on the Christchurch railways prior to the formation of the present society, with those who shall enter the service hereafter it shall be compulsory. All who enrol themselves as members prior to the Ist day of July next will be absolved from the payment of entrance fees ; but after that date the scale is as follows :—lf over 15 and under 20 years of age, ss; if over 20 and under 25,105; if over 25 and under 30, 15s j if over 30 and under 40, 20s ; if over 40 and under 45, 40s ; and each member on joining must produce a certificate from the medical officer of the society that he is in sound health. The subscription is fixed at 4s per month for adults, and 2s for junior members under twenty, the latter receiving only half the amount of the benefits offered by the society. No member will be allowed to receive any sick allowance or funeral benefits until six months after his enrolment; and after that period, should be become disabled by illness, casualty or insanity, he will receive 20s per week for six months. After that period, if he obtains the surgeon's certificate to the effect that he will be for ever rendered incapable of earning his livelihood, he will be placed on the pension list of the society, and will be entitled to receive the sum of 10s per week so long as he shall remain so disabled. The surgeons will visit all members claiming sick allowance, and attend to them during their illness. They will also attend upon members' wives, and their children under sixteen years of age. In the event of the death of any member who shall have belonged to the society, and paid his subscriptions for six months, his widow or next of kin will be entitled to receive the sum of £10; and if the wife of any such member die he will be entitled to the sum of £5. In the event of the death of any member who has belonged to the society, and paid his subscriptions for twelve months, his widow or next of kin will be entitled to £2O; and if the wife of such member die, he will be entitled to the sum of £lO. In the case of a widower marrying a second time, and his second wife dying he will receive the same allowance as on the death of his firstwife, provided that two years have elapsed between the death of his first wife, and that of his second. No member will receive any allowance if it can be proved that his sickness or death has been brought about by fighting, drunkenness, unlawfully joining in a riot, or by diseases contracted by an intemperate life. These rules having been adopted, the meeting terminated with a hearty vote of thanks to the chairman.

The committee afterwards met.Mr McKenna, Y.C., station master, Kaiapoi, being voted to the chair, and a considerable amount of routine business was transacted. It is expected that in a few days some hundreds of members will have enrolled their names as members of the Christchurch Branch of the New Zealand Railways Employes' Benefit Society.