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Typo: A Monthly Newspaper and Literary Review, Volume 5

New Zealand Typographical Association

page 5

New Zealand Typographical Association.

We are in receipt of the following communication from the Secretary of the Executive Council of the N.Z.T.A.:—

Wellington, 12th June, 1890.

Editor Typo, Wellington,

Dear Sir,—At a meeting of the Executive Council of the New Zealand Typographical Society on Saturday, 10th inst., the following resolution was passed: « That the Executive Council of the N.Z.T.A. considers that Typo, as a journal devoted to the encouraging and instruction of the Printing Arts, is worthy of the support of the printers of New Zealand, and that it be an instruction to the Secretary of the Council to supply a report of all meetings of the Council to Typo; also, that the Secretary convey this resolution to the branch secretaries, with a request to supply news to that journal which might be of interest to the Craft, and informing the secretaries that reports appearing therein may be deemed official. »

I have much pleasure in conveying this message to you, for the recognition thus given to Typo gives the printers of our colony a journal in which they may seek the state of trade; and this will be the means of rendering support to you in the publication of your journal. Wishing you every success with Typo in the coming days — I am, dear sir, yours faithfully,

Tom L. Mills, Secretary.

Our correspondents hitherto, as all our readers know, have been staunch unionists, and have kept us fairly well supplied with news of the N.Z.T.A. In future such communications in this column may be expected to be more complete and systematic; and news as to the state of trade, &c., may be taken as semi-official, being published under the authority of the local secretaries.

Trade Correspondence.

Christchurch, 26th January 1891.

I have to apologise for neglecting to send my usual budget for your last issue. There has not been very much of interest to chronicle, though, as the state of trade has remained stationary for the last month or two. Most of the offices have been fairly busy, and as a natural consequence the casual hands have been pretty constantly employed.

Messrs Brown and Yates, who purchased Mr Angus Turner's job-printing business some time ago, have, owing to increase in business, had to remove to more commodious premises. This firm have now secured the printing of the Referee, which paper has been enlarged by four pages.

The annual meeting of the Canterbury Typographical Association was held on the 17th January, when the report and balance-sheet submitted by the retiring Board of Management were adopted. The following portions of the report will no doubt be read with interest by comps throughout New Zealand. After opening with a brief reference to the late strike, the defeat sustained by the unions, and its lessons for the future, it proceeds:—

In order to mark our appreciation of the efforts made in our behalf by the maritime bodies in September last, it was resolved by a general meeting to strike a special levy of 2½ per cent. on the earnings of members. As a result of this we have been enabled to contribute £51 8s 7d to the maritime strike fund in Dunedin, and £52 19s 9d to the Lyttelton Wharf Laborers' Union. In addition to these two amounts we have contributed a special grant of £25 to the Lyttelton wharf laborers (making £77 19s 9d in all) and £53 3s 10d to the strike fund of the Canterbury Trades and Labor Council. Altogether we have contributed £182 14s 2d in aid of those affected by the late strike, an amount which will, your Board think, compare favorably with that contributed by any other union of like strength.

On 25th December the following letter was received from the Lyttelton Wharf Laborers Union: Lyttelton, 24th December, 1890.—Mr F. C. Gerard, secretary Canterbury Typographical Association. Dear Sir,—At a general meeting of our branch held on Wednesday night, a hearty vote of thanks was recorded to your union for the liberal way you have assisted us during our trouble. At the last meeting I was instructed to ask you to discontinue the levy on your members, as we are not in need of any further help. I trust the day will never come when your union will stand in need of help, but, if such should be the case, you can depend upon the Lyttelton wharf laborers assisting to a man.—I remain yours faithfully. T.F. Flaus, secretary.

While on this subject, your Board desire to gratefully acknowledge receipt of the following amounts in aid of our struggle with Messrs Whitcombe & Tombs: Bootmakers' Union, £10; Amalgamated Society of Carpenters and Joiners, £10; Railway Servants' Society, £7 10s; Carriers' Union, £5; Laborers' Union, £5; Amalgamated Society of Engineers, £10; Belfast Union, £5 5s; Boilermakers' Union, £3; Butchers' Union, £2 2s. Total, £57 15s.

Coming now to our immediate trade affairs, your Board have much pleasure in announcing that, despite the troublous period through which we have passed, the business of the Society is progressing satisfactorily. The shilling per 1000 is, as you all know, an accomplished fact, and the arrangements entered into between the Society and the jobbing office proprietors are, on the whole, working smoothly.

On the retirement of Mr Chapman from the presidentship of the Association, the members of your Board unanimously desire, on behalf of the Society, to place on record their high appreciation of the eminent services rendered to the Society by that gentleman. The past term of office has been, as members know, a very arduous and trying one for our President; but in every single particular Mr Chapman has proved himself to be the right man in the right place. In allowing him to retire from harness for the present, members will, your Board feel certain, allow him to carry away with him the pleasing reflection that his great services are fully appreciated.

Your Board will also take this opportunity of expressing great pleasure at the fact that there is to be no opposition for the office of Secretary, which must be regarded as an expression of the utmost confidence in your present officer. The manner in which Mr Gerard has carried out his duties since the formation of the Society cannot be too highly spoken of, for he has proved himself both able and proficient in all matters connected with the Society's welfare, and your Board has recognized his past services by unanimously nominating him for the office of secretary for the ensuing term.

The balance sheet discloses the fact that the receipts and expenditure for the twelve months have been very large, and at the same time shows that the Association is at present in a good financial posision. The election of officers for the ensuing year resulted as follows: President, F. Board; Vice-president, A. T. W. Bradwell; Board Secretary, F. C. Gerard (re-elected); Treasurer, W. Hay (re-elected); Auditors, J. Wheatley (re-elected) and S. Goodwin; Trade Board members, H. Davey, T. Field, F. Ffrost, C. Low, J. Tulley; and E. Sandford, A. K. Chapman, and F. Board were unanimously elected delegates to the Trades and Labor Council.

The above Association has done excellent work during the past year, despite the difficulty with Whitcombe & Tombs and the depressing effect the maritime strike has had on unionism generally. Though this is the most eventful year it has experienced since its inception, the Association has steadily advanced, and, as indicating some of the good work it has done, I might state that the number of apprentices has been regulated, the price per thousand for piece work has been raised to 1s, and a recognized scale of wage for jobbing hands has been established. This, I take it is a good record, when the age of the Association and recent counteracting influences are taken into consideration. Add to this that the Association is on good terms with, and recognized by, every firm of printers in Christchurch except one, and it will be readily seen that, in steadily advancing and spreading its influence, it has managed to accomplish good work without creating friction or ill-feeling.

I am sorry to state that Mr Wheeler, printer of the Lyttelton Times, has lately been rather seriously indisposed, and has had to be off duty for some time.