EMPLOYERS’ ASSOCIATION.

Taranaki Daily News, 16 August 1922, Page 3

EMPLOYERS’ ASSOCIATION.

. THE ANNUAL MEETING. PAST YEAR’S ACTIVITIES. The annual meeting of the Taranaki Employers’ Association, in conjunction with the annual dinner, was held at the Waratah dining rooms, New Plymouth, last evening. Mr. P. E. Staiqton (president) was in the chair, being relieved by Mr. F. S. Johns for part of the evening. After dinner the business of the meeting was proceeded with, together with the honoring of a toast list. The annual report stated, inter alia: — The wages of most of the industries in New Zealand have in the past been fixed by Arbitration Court awards. In April last it was announced that the court, after exhaustively examining the Government statistician’s figures, had decided to reduce the bonuses already granted by 5e per week. An opportunity was given to the representatives of both. employers and employees to appeal against this decision of the court. The employers’ case was conducted by Mr. T. O. Bishop, then acting secretary to the federation, and on behalf of his party he contended that a greater reduction should be made. A very good case was presented, but the court ruled that the 5s reduction was all that could be granted. The reduction was so small that it did not help to alleviate the trade depression experienced in many districts. Your executive, however, has recommended employers to loyally abide by the decision of the court, and looks forward to the coming year with confidence in so far as the stabilisation of wages is concerned. <. YEAR’S OPERATIONS. During the year your executive met on ten occasions to conduct its ordinary business besides holding several special meetings. The average attendance at the ordinary meetings was nine. Quarterly meetings were held during the year, and at these meetings valuable papers were contributed by Messrs. K. C. Akers and C. G, Bottrill, M.A. To these gentlemen the association owes its thankfe. The following table shows the position of the membership: Members at June 30. 1922, 168; less resigned or written off, 16; a total of 152, which, with 4 additional new members, makes a grand total of 156. Most of our resignations have come from the Hawera district, where members are not brought directly in touch with the work of the association. During the coming year a

branch office is being opened in Hawera. During the year the rules of the association were altered to permit of a retailers’ committee being set up. This committee was set up and held' several but very little active interest waft displayed by any of the retailers. It would be for you to decide whether such a retailers' committee should be set up for the coming year. The finances of the association are very satisfactory, although the amount of members’ subscriptions outstanding is larger than last year. The general trade slump is here reflected. During the past year very few Conciliation Council sittings were held, as the Court had stabilised wages to April 30. 1922. Disputes which were dealt with were those relating to workers in dairy factories, wool, grain and hides storemen and storemen and packers. Several of the awards have not expired, and most of the awards in this district will undergo revision during the coming year. The Arbitration Court was occupied in merely formal business when it visited New Plymouth during the year. The thanks of 'the executive were expreseed to Mr. C. H. Wynyard (the secretary) for his very valuable work. WORK OF ASSOCIATION. Mr. Johns, who was at this stage in the chair, moved the adoption of the annual report and 'balance-sheet. In doing eo he praised the good work of the secretary (Mr. Wynyard), who was a very valuable man to the association. He referred to the death of the federation officer, Mr. Pryor, saying he was a man eminently suited for the position he held so long, and his death was a great loss.

Mr. J. S. Connett seconded. Speaking as a representative of the dairy industry, which had recently joined up with the association, the speaker said he was very pleased to see that the association wa s a live .body, and though the dairy industry had. deferred linking up he could say they were to-day glad they had done so.

The secretary, in a Few remarks, trac ed the status of the federation and asked that all matters of sufficient importance should be referred to the federation officials at Wellington. Some members perhaps thought they had not reaped much benefit from the association, but he reminded them that all things that concerned employers industrially, especially award wages, could be handled to advantage by the association. Mr. Wynyard said employers should get to know their employees and seek to work on harmonious lines with them, but they must be guarded against the small percentage of extremists. There were, too, extremists among employers as well as among employees. The association and federation did a lot of work that was not seen by the outsider, special reference being made to the president (Mr. Shailer Weston). The association’s finances were satisfactory. There had been several resignations, particularly from the Hawera. district, but a branch office was being opened there. Tn Hawera the business men were not bound by awards to such an extent as in New Plymouth, but he believed that the time was fast coming when they would feel the benefits ®to be derived from the association. The chairman_.thanked Mr. Wynyard for his interesting address, and the motion for adopting the repqrt and balance sheet was then carried. GENERAL. The following were elected to the executive committee: Mssrs. W. H. Besley, F. H. Jackson, J. W. Darby, W. Reid, F. S. Johns, C. E. Baker, W. Healy, C. Carter, J. Bennett, W. C. Weston, P. E Stainton, A. F. Sandford, H. J. Abram, A. K. Smart, H. Ashton; auditor, Mr. (E. P. Webster (re-elected). The chairman explained that the committee elected their president and vicepresident from their numbers The advisability of re-forming the retailers’ committee was mentioned by the chairman (Mr. Stainton) who moved that the election of this committee be left to the incoming executive, as this question needed reconsideration. He did not think this section was needed, in view of the good work being done by the association. Mr. Healey seconded the motion, which was carried. Messrs. L. A. Mains and Flyger were elected members of the association on the motion of Mr. Smart.