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The Cyclopedia of New Zealand [Wellington Provincial District]

Municipal, Professional, And Commercial

Municipal, Professional, And Commercial.

The Incorporated Institute of Accountants of New Zealand was established in 1894, and has about one hundred members in various parts of the Colony. Arrangements have been made to hold annual examinations for the admission of qualified persons to membership—the first to be held in May and June, 1896. The Institute is managed by a council of nineteen members, of whom four are returned from each of the cities, Auckland, Christchurch, Dunedin, and Wellington, and three from Napier. The officers are elected by the council—the present (1896) occupants of office being:—William Brown (Dunedin), president; W. R. Cook (Wellington), vice-president; C. P. Powles (Wellington), treasurer; and H. Kember (Wellington), auditor. The secretary of the Institute is Mr. C. D. Morpeth, whose office is at 42 Lambton Quay, Wellington. Messrs. Brandon and Hislop are the solicitors, and the Union Bank of Australia, Limited, are bankers to the Institute.

Municipal Association of New Zealand. This association was formed in the year 1891 at the suggestion of Mr. P. A. Phillips, the veteran Town Clerk of Auckland. Its objects are to protect municipal interests, and to suggest and watch legislation affecting municipalities. Boroughs are now affiliated to the Association. Conferences of delegates appointed by the affiliated councils meet from time to time to discuss matters of municipal concern, particularly with a view to amendments in legislation. The chief work of the Association has been to prepare a bill consolidating and amending the various Municipal Corporation Acts. The permanent offices of the Association are in Featherston Street, Wellington. The Mayor of Wellington is ex officio president, and the Association's affairs are further managed by an Executive Committee. Mr. T. F. Martin, the city solicitor of Wellington, is counsel and secretary to the Association. Mr. Martin takes a very great interest in the affairs of the Association. His legal opinions given in answer to questions asked by those who constitute the society, are exceedingly valuable, and are printed from time to time for the benefit of the affiliated boroughs. The formation of this Association was most certainly a step in the right direction, and those boroughs who have joined reap many advantages.

New Zealand Railway Officers' Institute. This Institute was founded in November, 1894, at Auckland. The Institute came into existence through a feeling of dissatisfaction amongst the officers, causing them to take steps to organise for their own protection and the welfare of the service. A preliminary meeting was called in Auckland in November, 1894, and it was unanimously resolved that an Institute be formed. That meeting appointed a provisional executive, and drew up a provisional constitution. After some trouble the sympathy and practical assistance of nearly all the railway officers in New Zealand was secured. After the Minister for Railways had received a deputation from the Institute in Auckland in February, 1895, the promoters found less difficulty in organising, and branches were rapidly formed in every section of the New Zealand Government Railways. Then permission was obtained to hold a Conference in Wellington to draw up a constitution and discuss matters affecting the service. Thirteen delegates attended, representing all sections of the railway service in New Zealand. Mr. A. J. Loring was appointed chairman of the conference, and Mr. A. Duncan vice-chairman. When the constitution was completed, on November 27th, 1895, the first Executive Council was formed and began its sittings. The following gentlemen comprised the Executive:—Messrs. A. J. Loring, president; A. Duncan, vice-president; R. W. McVilly, secretary and treasurer; A. H. Mellor, J. Macdonald, C. A. Marcus, R. J. Aekins, Irwin page 544
New Zealand Railway Officers Institute, First Executive Council, Wellington, December, 1895. C. A. Marcus.   A. W. Morgan.   J. MacDonald.   F. W. Styles.   A. H. Mellor.   I. Faris. R. J. Aekins.   T. J. Brownell.   A. Duncan (Vice-Pres.)   S. J. Loring (Pres.)   R. W. McVilly (Gen. Sec.)   J. Gray.   P. A. Duncan.

New Zealand Railway Officers Institute, First Executive Council, Wellington, December, 1895.
C. A. Marcus.   A. W. Morgan.   J. MacDonald.   F. W. Styles.   A. H. Mellor.   I. Faris.
R. J. Aekins.   T. J. Brownell.   A. Duncan (Vice-Pres.)   S. J. Loring (Pres.)   R. W. McVilly (Gen. Sec.)   J. Gray.   P. A. Duncan.

Faris, F. W. Styles, J. Gray, A. W. Morgan, T. J. Brownell, D. A. Duncan, council. Subsequently Mr. F. J. Dawes was appointed general treasurer. The subscription was fixed at 1/2d. in the £ for each £ of salary received per annum. The objects of the Institute are to promote the general welfare of members, foster a feeling of good-fellowship, create funds for the benefit of members, and otherwise to further the interests of the railway service. All permanent officers with an annual fixed salary, and all foremen holding positions of responsibility are eligible as members. The executive is elected by an annual vote of members. Each district branch elects its own representatives in the council, which must number not less than 13, including the president, vice-president, secretary and treasurer. The president and vice-president are elected by a general vote of members of the Institute. The secretary and treasurer are permanent officers. The present membership of the Institute is over 800. The district headquarters are the headquarters of each branch. The branches are governed by branch committees. The branches elect their own committees and make their own bye-laws subject to the constitution. In addition to the council there is an executive committee appointed by the council to manage. The members of this are:—Messrs. Loring, A. Duncan, McVilly, Dawes, Styles (chairman), Stubbs, Triggs, Faris, and Mellor. The inception of the Institute is mainly due to Mr. A. Duncan, who, while station-master at Newmarket, gave up his leave to tour the Colony organising the Institute, and who, as its first secretary at Auckland, worked very hard for it. Mr. G. G. Aicken, stationmaster at Onehunga, also worked very enthusiastically in getting the Institute started, and as secretary for some time in Auckland, supported loyally by the provisional executive there, saw the project successfully extablished. The Institute proposes issuing a magazine, and intends to register under the Act. It is recognised by the Government.

The Shipmasters' Association of New Zealand was formed in September, 1890, at the time of the great mercantile marine strike, its first members numbering about thirty. This Association does not in any way take up an aggressive position against either kindred organizations or employers, but was established as an independent body pledged to support all the interests of the mercantile marine officers. A benevolent fund has been established for the purpose of assisting members who may through sickness or accident be placed in need of pecuniary assistance. Although the Association was founded by persons holding masters' certificates, any grade of mercantile marine officers are admissible as honorary members, and are entitled to the page 545 same privileges as active members, but have no voice in the management. The first president was the late Mr. W. H. Levin, who occupied that honourable position for three years. The Association has been increasing in membership each year, and in 1895 numbered 150. The secretary and treasurer, Captain Robert Strang, has filled that position since its inception. The following are the officers for 1895:—Hon. President, His Excellency Lord Glasgow; President, Mr. John Duthie, M.H.R.; Vice-Presidents, Captain G. C. Hart and Captain A. Kennedy; Trustees, Captain E. S. Babot, Captain H. Johnson.

Captain Robert Strang, Wharf Manager for the Union Steamship Company of New Zealand, Limited, is a native of Glasgow, Scotland, and served his time with the Albion Shipping Company, after which he passed through the various grades in the service of that company. In October, 1878, he was appointed to the command of their new sailing ship, the “Lyttelton,” remaining with that firm until December, 1884, when he joined the Union Steamship Company as captain of the new s.s. “Taupo, ” which he brought out to New Zealand. Shortly after his arrival in Dunedin in March, 1885, the company appointed him wharf manager, and two years later transferred him to Wellington to act in the same capacity. This position he has filled to the present time, and enjoys the confidence of his employers, and of those with whom his business brings him in contact. Captain Strang took an active part in the forming of the Shipmasters' Association of New Zealand, and has been secretary and treasurer of that association since its inauguration in September, 1890. He has also been a member of the committee of the “Sailor's Rest” since its formation four years ago, and for the past six years has been a director of the Caledonian Society.

Wellington Association of Architects. This Association was founded on the 15th of August, 1892. It is established for the general advancement of the architectural profession, and the promotion of friendly intercourse between its members. The entrance fee is one guinea, and the annual subscription one guinea. Gentlemen showing satisfactory evidence of their profession may become members, but no person is admitted who is interested in building or contracting as a trade. The annual meeting is in November, and the officers and Council are elected annually. The officers for 1895 were as follows:—President, Mr. Chas. Tringham; vice-President, Mr. T. S. Lambert; Secretary, Mr. William Turnbull; Treasurer, Mr. W. Crichton; Council, Messrs W. C. Chalfield, T. Turnbull, and E. J. Armstrong.

Mr. William Turnbull, Secretary to the Wellington Association of Architects, was born in San Francisco in 1868. When four years of age, he came to Auckland with his parents, in the ship “Nebraska” From Auckland the Turnbulls went to Dunedin, but did not remain there long. Wellington ultimately became their home; and here the subject of this sketch received the whole of his education. Upon leaving school, he was articled to his father, Mr. Thomas Turnbull, architect. When his articles were completed, Mr. William became associated with his father, and has continued with him since. At the early age of eighteen, Mr. William Turnbull showed a special aptitude for the profession he has adopted. In 1886 he gained first prize for his design for a grandstand at Nelson, there being eighteen competitors. He was similarly successful in a Greymouth grandstand competition, and has since then taken second prizes for designs for the Wellington Old Men's Home, and, with his father, for the Free Public Library, besides having his designs accepted for numerous public buildings. Mr. Turnbull Mr. William Turnbull was at one time prominent in football circles as a leading player in the Poneke and Athletic Football Clubs. He has also appeared in junior cricket. Latterly he has gained distinction as a tenor singer, his first appearance being at the Fine Art Gallery, with Miss Gwen Davies, Messrs. J. M. Barnett and Alfred Hill. He was appointed Secretary of the Architects' Association in 1895.

The Wellington Chamber of Commerce is one of the oldest in the Colony. It was originally established in 1856, when Mr. James Kelham became the first president, which position he held for two years. The succeeding presidents down to the year 1868 were:—Hon. J. Johnston, and Messrs. G. Hunter, W. M. Bannatyne, W. W. Taylor, C. J. Pharazyn, E. Pearce, and N. Levin. From this date till 1875 the Chamber relapsed into a moribund condition. Under the presidency of Mr. W. H. Levin the Chamber was re-instituted in the latter year, and since that time has been an active institution. The following gentlemen have since become presidents in their turn:—Messrs. J. Dransfield, F. A. Krull, T. Buchanan, J. Woodward, J. E. Nathan, J. R. George, J. B. Harcourt, A. J. McTavish, T. K. MacDonald, W. T. L. Travers, J. Duthie, J. H. Cook, E. W. Mills, J. Duncan, T. J. W. Gale, D. T. Stuart, and J. McLellan. In 1884 the Chamber of Commerce was incorporated under Act of General Assembly. A large room on the ground floor in Lambton Quay has been fitted up for use as a place for meeting as well as a reading and writing room for members. It is well supplied with works of reference, directories, and New Zealand and other newspapers. The total membership of the Chamber at the time of writing (1895) is ninety-five. The Wellington Chamber of Commerce is a non-political body which has often proved itself useful to the community by the influence which it page 546 has been able to wield. It may be mentioned that it was at one of the meetings of the Chamber that the first steps were taken which led to the formation of the Wellington-Manawatu Railway. That spendid institution, the Wellington Harbour Board, was constituted on a basis formulated by the Chamber, and the Act of Parliament under which the Board was formed was framed by the Council. The establishment of post office boxes, the building of a public wharf, the formation of a fire brigade, the clock for the new Post Office, the Telephone Exchange, and many other similar subjects for the good of the general public have from time to time occupied the attention of the Chamber with beneficial results. In fact, it has no ends to serve save those which concern the body politic, and the interests of the public are its first consideration.

The Wellington Employers' Association was founded in 1890. The outcome of the memorable strike of that year, it exists to protect the interests of employers of labour, by the establishment of a recognised body having authority to deal with the representatives of labour in all matters affecting their common interests. An executive committee of twenty-five controls the operations of the Society, of which Mr. Henry Wright is secretary.

The Wellington Provincial Industrial Association was established in the spring of 1895, and was incorporated under the “Industrial Societies Act, 1883,” on the 4th of November. The Society was founded to aid, foster, and encourage the industries and productions of New Zealand by the collection of information of a useful nature to manufacturers, miners and producers, and in many other ways. The Association intends to hold a New Zealand Industrial Exhibition from the 28th of October to the end of the year 1896, probably including January, 1897. For this purpose the Government has agreed to subsidise the enterprise to the extent of £500. The Exhibition is to be run on the successful lines adopted in Christchurch recently, and there can be no doubt that the venture will be a great success. The formation of the Association has been taken up with great spirit by a large number of the leading firms and influential men of the City and district. His Excellency the Governor is the Patron of the Society, Mr. Samuel Brown, president; the Hon. Sir Robert Stout, K.C.M.G., M.H.R., and Messrs. W. H. Millward, F. Pirani, M.H.R., and J. Stevens, M.H.R., vice-presidents; Mr. A. S. Biss, hon. treasurer; Mr. R. Wilberfoss, hon. auditor, Messrs. E. Arnold, T. Ballinger, A. S. Biss, F. C. Crease, H. Flockton, H. Gaby, H. Hurrell, P. Hutson, Martin Kennedy, A. I. Littlejohn, J. P. Luke, J. B. Mack, W. H. Millward, J. A. Plimmer, N. Reid, A.[unclear: J.] Suckling-Baron, M.I.M.E., and J. Young, committee; Charles Callis, secretary. The office of the Wellington Provincial Industrial Association is at 41 Featherston Street.