A LABOURERS' UNION.

Globe, Volume XXII, Issue 1935, 7 May 1880, Page 3

A LABOURERS' UNION.

The annual report of the Kent and Sussex Agricultural Laborers' Union, which will be presented to the annual meeting, shows a decided extension of the prnciple of trades unionism among the farm laborers of tho southern counties. The balance sheot shows that during the year 1879 the income of the union reached the sum of £14,000. A special balance sheet of the expenses of the recent lock-out of the laborers has been kept, by which it appears that the union Bpent no less a sum than £IO,OOO in sustaining the men against the farmo r s. One of the means of increasing the rate of farm wages adopted by tho union is tho emigration of surplus labor to the colonies. In the beginning of tho year 1879 500 men were sent to New Zealand, and all obtained employment immediately on their arrival. The arrival of tho emigrants gave occasion to a personal inspection of over 200 homesteads of laborers who previously emigrated to and settled in various parts of Now Zealand under tho auspices of tho Kont and Sussex Union, All wore found to be doing well, and thirty-five of tho homesteads were tho property of the laborer* inhabiting them, who also owned parcels of land. Of the 500 who emigrated last year twenty laborers have taken up land, and all are doing well. During tho year the union has inaugurated a sick benefit and burial society, which now numbers 12,000 members, who have paid into tho funds £10,500. Of this sum, £BOOO has been paid out in sick benefits and allowances on deaths, and the committee of tho union olaim to have relieved tho ratepayers of Kont and Sussex and tho adjoining counties of this amount, which would otherwise have been thrown on tho Poor-law unions.

J NAVAL VOLUNTEER CORPS.

Lea 1 ; evening a meeting was held sfc the Colonists' Hall, Lyttelton, of those interested in the formation of a Naval Volunteer corps in the Port, when between forty and fifty persons wore present. Captain MoLellan was voted to the chair, and explained that the meeting was called with a view of considering the formation of the corpß without a capitation allowance from the Government, the funds of tho country not allowing the Government to make such a grant to the corps. Under these circumstances the promoters of the corps were desirous of ascertaining whether those who had subscribed to the memorial wero willing that the corps Bhould be formed without a grant from the Government. It was decided unanimously that the Government be informed that the subscribers to the memorial were willing to form themselves into a Naval Brigade, leaving the question of capitation to be settled hereafter. A copy of a letter which was addressed to the Hon. E. Richardson was road, requesting his co- operation in obtaining a drill instructor and other necessary details, to enable the brigado to be drilled provious to tho big guns being Bet up It was resolved that a copy of the letter be sent to the members for Chrisfcchurcb. and Lyttelton, asking their assistance in the same direction. Mr A. B. Pyemont was elected secretary pro tern,, and Captain McLellan, Mpssrs Dranßfield, Snow, Hanson, and Kingsford a committee, after which the meeting adjourned.