WORKING MEN’S POLITICAL ASSOCIATION.

Globe, Volume XXIV, Issue 2503, 15 April 1882, Page 3

WORKING MEN’S POLITICAL ASSOCIATION.

The monthly meeting of the members of this association was held last evening at eight o’clock, in the Freethought Hall, Worcester street. There were about sixteen members present, and Mr Bitcliffe (president) occupied the chair.

At the request of the Chairman, Mr O. J. Them, president of the Trades and Labor Council of Otago, addressed the meeting in support of the proposal that the association should act in unison with the kindred society of Dunedin. He said that hie visit to Christchurch to represent the carpenters of Dunedin at the opening of the Exhibition had been deemed a favorable opportunity far endeavoring to effect an amalgamation between the Christchurch and Dunedin societies, with the view of extending their operations in dealing with the political and other questions affecting the working men as a class. He described the origin and canstitntion of the Otago society, which, althongh only organised, in September last, bad made considerable progress. Through its efforts the plasterers and the painters had organised themselves into separate societies, and it was hoped that in a short time a similar step wonld be taken by the masons, bricklayers, and other trades. Ultimately they might expect to include within their organisation the factories and other establishments where females were employed. It had been felt by the society in Otago that labor was not directly represented in Parliament, and at the last general election efforts had been made to remedy this. The working men had nominated seven candidates, of whom six had been returned. The eooiety were successful in securing fairer treatment to the compositors in Dunedin as against their employers, and they had also, by their influence, been able to assist the employes on the wharves at Port Chalmers in obtaining a holiday on Easter Monday. This showed the advantage of organisation. With regard to the proposed amalgamation of the two societies, he recommended that the Christchurch body should extend it* operations throughout Canterbury, and stated that the object of the Otago Council was to include in the largo organisation the trade societies in all parts of the colony. Their operations did net amount to trade unionism in its entirety, but took up the work where trade unionism stopped. In Auckland an agitation was in progress to oppose any encroachment of the eight-hour system—attention having been prominently drawn to the subject by the recent attempts of the Union Sash and Door Company to compel their men to work longer than eight hours. The Otago Council had put thirteen questions to the o indidate* at the last general election, and had kept a record of the answers. Mr Green, M.H.8., was at present preparing a Bill to legalise the eight-hoar system, experience showing that it would be impossible to carry out the system without an Act of Parliament. A reduction in the hours of labor would give employment to many men who were at present idle, and the result would be beneficial to them as a class socially, morally, and pecuniarily. The Christchurch Society should use their influence with the representatives in Parliament to obtain support to Mr Green’s Bill. They should also demand that the expenditure of the proposed five million loan should be distributed over a certain number of years; that immigration should be kept down to a point consistent with the interests of the working men in the colony ; that more attention should be paid to technical education ; that an Employers Liability Act should be passed ; and that skilled labor should not be employed in prisons. Amongst the other question* taken up by the Otago Council were—the constitution of the Upper House, law reform, the abolition of imprisonment for debt, and the enfranchisement of seamen and travellers. In conclusion, Mr Thorn urged the advisability of the Christchurch Association at once amalgamating with the Otago Society. Mr Graham, secretary to the society, gave an account of an interview he had had with Mr Holmes, M.H.R , and explained the opinions expressed by that gentleman on the different subjects included in the platform of the society. After soma discussion, the consideration of the question of amalgamating with the Otago Trades and Labor Oouncil was postponed until the next general meeting. A vote of thanks was passed to Mr Thom for his attendance and address.

Mr Bitcliffo tendered hie resignation of the office of president, and it was accepted. Accounts were passed for payment to the amount of £4 43.

The members were supplied with a pamphlet on the employment of females and children in factories and workshops, containing a paper by the late Sir John Richardson ai.d other records on the subject. The meeting then adjourned.