SIR WILLIAM P. HARTLEY’S PROFIT SHARING.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 1577, 15 July 1916, Page 4

SIR WILLIAM P. HARTLEY’S PROFIT SHARING.

£30,000 IN BENEFACTIONS. On Saturday afternoon, March 11th, the spacious St. George’s Hall (Flanagan’s Mission Hall) was tilled with eager employees to listen to the inspiring speech of Sir William. Hartley, and to participate in the profits of an ever-increasing business. Many city men wore present, and representatives from London hospitals and charitable institutions took an eager interest in the proceedings. It was a meetingin which Christianity assumed a concrete form. Impressive in its simplicity and beauty, it would require many speeches from public platforms on social questions to be half as convincing in argument as Sir William’s profit-sharing meeting, There was the fragrance of the Kingdom of Heaven about it, and the glow of a brighter day which may not be lang delayed. From first to last the beaf iing of a great heart was felt which overflowed in generous treatment of men and i kings. To forget the greeting which employees gave Sir William is impossible, and to witness the greeting Sir William gave his workpeople is a memory which must abide;

Two thing's gave uniqueness to the meeting. First: Prolit shoring', of which every employee received a portion from the hands of Sir William. The almost endless procession of workers passing in front of the pulpit in St. George’s Hall was a sight not to be forgotten. In this way £4,147 was distributed, which, added to £(i,500 distributed in Liverpool a few days ago, makes a total ot £10,647. Delight and contentment climbed high upon the faces of the workpeople, and in that happy moment they knew that labour and devotion to duty were not allowed to pass unrewarded. Second: The meeting was unique because of Sir William’s speech. One word which Sir William used is brimful of suggestions, for it gave colour to his thought, and is conclusive evidence that our great merchant frictid works from his heart as well as from a well-balanc-ed mind. “In remembrance,” he said, “of my seventieth birthday.” The word was well chosen. Everybody was breathless, for surprises wore breaking into speech. His big, generous heart was moving—indeed, it had been full of suggestion for months —and then came the declaration. “The public, both in London and Liverpool, has shown great confidence in us, and has bought our goods in increasing quantities every year. The public has behaved handsomely. We, therefore, owe it a debt of gratitude, and my son and I have, therefore, concluded that we cannot repay the public in any better way than by doing something for the hospitals.” It was an electrical moment, the intensity of which deepened as Sir William cited the names of twentytwo London hospitals, to which he gave £10,000; and then cited the names of seven Liverpool hospitals to which he gave £SOOO, making a total of £15,000. Sir William paused as the applause echoed through the hall. Then kindly he referred to the grocers —the media between the factory and the consumer. He then made donations making a total of £5,000 for trade charities. When the applause had died away, Sir William startled his work-people by giving out of his savings an addillional £IO,OOO to their Pension Fund which he had created and financed some years ago. By this generous gift; Sir William increased the Pension Fund from £11,200 to £21,200, an ample sum, as he wisely put it, for all reasonable purposes. It was a great treat to hear Sir William thank his workpeople for their generous response to the call of the Bed Cross Fund and the loeal hospitals. A great benefactor evidently takes delight in the generous impulse of others. The gift of Sir William’s employees to the Red Cross Fund, including his own monthly contribution, amounted to £3,327, nearly half the total of £7,114 contributed by the entire jam and confectionery trade of the United Kingdom. The contribution of the London employees for the ■Hospital Fund amounted to £B3 11s 7d, which Sir William said he would gladly double, to be apportioned to the loeal hospitals by a committee of workpeople. How far the impact of Sir William’s generous personality influences the workpeople of London and Liverpool is not difficult to discover. Freely they have received, freely they have given; and no master could he prouder of his workpeople than Sir William. Respectable in attire, intelligent and well informed in mind, healthy in appc.arunce, the workpeople had a happy time. Foremen and forewomen, private secretaries and contidential clerks were held in the highest esteem by the staff of workers, Again the crowd of workers will be engaged in the routine of daily toil; but any possible greyuess will he transfigured by the memory of the profit-sharing meeting, K.Z. Mehtodist Times.