KNIGHTS OF LABOUR.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume XI, Issue 3561, 14 July 1890, Page 2

KNIGHTS OF LABOUR.

A meeting of those interested in the formation of a branob of the Knights of Labour in Masterton was held in tho Temporance Hall on Saturday night last, about a hundred persons being present.

On the raotjon of Mr H Marsh, Mr Cullon was voted to the obair.. Mr (Jullen read the notico convening the meeting, and stated its objects in ai few words, inviting any person presont to-speak, Mr T 0 D'Aroy, convenor, said be bad beei; led to convene the meeting in consequence of correspondence which hadpassedbetwesn Mr M'Lean, of Wellington, aud Mr Hogg. Mr M'Lean bad suggested that a qf tbe Knights of Labour be formed in Mpterton. A branch bad recently been opened in Falmerstpn North with a'membership of eisty-ono. The objects of the Sooiety were not muoh known in Masterton, and he himself wa3 somewhat at a disadvantage, as he did not kuow tho workings of tho order, He then read the pre-amble of the Society, stating that this was an appropri'a e take the political aspect of the affair into consideration. He understood the Society 'embraced all other Unions, to whose advantage it wastojoin. He tben read for their information the speeoh of the organiser, Mr..' Mackay, recently delivered at Palraerstoii North, He Jjpd received a communication frou) Mr M'Lepti on the matter of finance, flijch Btutod that obarte? members coujd join by paying the Bum of one shilling, After the assembly was organised, however, tho eiitrance fee would be 4s. Mr MoLean bad suggested that the ohnrter fee be made the same as adopted in Auckland, Wellington, and Palmerston, viz., 2s, He bad received a lettor from tho- organising' officer, Mr Mackay, who, -besides forwarding information regarding finauces, had expressed his willingness to be present on the following Saturday

" ;• .• " : ■ J^aar evening, and form an assembly; win ■ conclusiou ■ the > speaker stated tlmt lie ,would like to,hear an ' expression of opinion on the subject. T . l'lie Chairman' stated tbat it was almost unnecessary to go further into the matter at the present iime. He would like a formal motion to bo put, Mr . Marsh said he would be glad to hear .Mr Hogg, who, had. always , championed the cause, express his opinion on the subject. Mr Hogg, who rose amidst cheers, stated that whan he visited Wellington some little tinio ago he called on Mr McLean, who had been identified for a considerable time with the labor organisations throughout the colony. His object was to obtain some information regarding the Knights of- Labor. He ascertained that the movement \m one of an exceedingly broad character. It aimed at enrolling the whole of the industrial army, whether the components of this army worked with theiriiands or with their heads. It excluded, however, those individuals who; preyed on labor and made-jit subservient to oapital and everything else. He then referred •: at - some length to the origin of the movement in-America. He ; contended that there was no riyalry between the movement and the tillers of the soil. The power of labor -in this . instance was, he considered, being enforced for a good purpose. If labor was united they had nothing to fear from capital, 'and monopoly, or bad legislation, and if the mvinoiblo poivers of the working men could, be exercised on the legislation, what power oould they not exercise" over " an individual-member? It would not' matter who the member was, instead of_ his commanding the .- situgreat industrial army. Tliey would befools if they did not follow the good example of Auckland, Welling, ton, and Palmerston, and decide that night to give the movement a fair Btatt. The contributions to the movement were small, and there was no central fund, each assembly providing for its own wants. The great objeot was to keep, the .laboring class together, to prevent tho hours of labor being increased, and to support standard wages, If tlie working men only knew their powers they would not bow to the tyranny of capital. Iu Bellamy's " Looking Backward" the position of the working class was ably depicted. The present state of things should be reversed, Is had been said that ho was trying to set class against olass, but he refuted this imputation, If they wished to .produce peace between tho two elements of capital and labor they would have to bring them both to the same level, Oiie of the objects set down m tho formula was to get rid of the contract system, in which he, with others present, had had some experience. The contract system as carried out by municipalities and private capitalists was wronging the community, and was practically a system of robbery. In his opinion it was like a Dutch auction, tho lowest bidder getting the job. They had a very good illustration of this fact in the erection of a bridge at Eketahuna, whioh, through the inexperience- of the lowest tenderer, had collapsed, causing such injury to one individual that he lias ever since been trying" to bury his sorrow in drink." Laughter.) They would find in their Coun oil'and .Road Board meetings that the estimates of tho engineer 'were put before them, on a fair basis, Tenders wore oalled and opened, but should the .whole of the tenders exceed materially the estimate ■ of the engineer, they were rejeotod and I fresh were called. On the other 1 hand. if-a tender was put- in bv a ; miserable, inexporienced individual 1 at half price, it was accepted, and the Council chuckled over having made a grand bargain. This system ' resulted in the contractors being ruined, in merchants being robbed of! 1 their material, of storekeepers having i the list of their bad debts swelled, ' and of laborers losing a portion of 1 their la'jor. These wore the results ; of the contract system. He then referred to. tho fact that certain persons were to be exoluded from the ' organisation, these being money I ' lenders and usurers, lawyers andrumsellers, Ho did not think there would be much harm done by the exclusion of such persons, although he admitted that some of the bankers and lawyers were honorable men. In a colony like this, however, where an unemployed individual like Judge Edwards was appointed at a 1 salary, of £I6OO a year to do nothing but pick tho pockets of the working class, and to loaf on tho community, it was time something was done, In conclusion, he thanked them for their patient hearing, and stated that at r.o- distant date ho would be glad to address thorn on general politics. He had not yet signified his intention of contesting the forthcoming election, as lie had decided not to oome forward unless he was invited by the Liberal party. If, however, ho was.invited and got sufficient support, he would not.turn , his hick on that party whose interests lie. had always supported. He might stato that • tho Knights of Labor was a secret society, and it was _ only fair that it should be. Capitalists and land monopolists were secretly plotting to secure- the return of Conservatives at the corning election,-mid tho wflrking class, the Liberal party, wss quite justified in adopting similar measures to ensure the return of those who would look after, their intorests iu the-House, whioh, unfortunately, at the present time was a sheep and cattle House. (Applause).'

|Mr D'Aroy then moved, That jn »mbly of the Knights of Labor be formed in Masterton, and that the organising officer be requested o attend next,,baturday for that purpose,"

Mr H, Marsh seconded. After the " big gun" had spoken, bis voice would only .Bound as a pop-gun." He had, however, muoh pleasure in seconding the motion, The motion was then put and carried, about half the audierico holding up (h& bands in its lavouV. Mt D'Aroy explained that ho would attend at bis office during the.weeji to receive additional natnes and charter fees. ■■ ■'

1 motion of Mr Hogg tljg

. Twenty.four names were handed m by those whose intention it ie to become members of "the Society,