The Northern Guardian. — 1892-10-08 (Hartlepool, Cleveland, England)

ALLEGED WASTE OF MONEY.  But this is better than another branch that spends 1821 and gives no relief at all. In the account of one London branch we find these items: "Presentation medal to secretary," 6/ 58; "banner expenses," 13/ 108 4d ; "photos of banner," 1/ 15s; "other photos," 8/ 108 6d, in one year, and 20/ for "banner committee" in another. A second London branch one year grants 351 6s 7tl in sick pay, while its secretary's deficiency is set down at 163/ 6s, and next year spends 81 on "photos," 71 on a banner, and 13/ on "regalia." A third London branch one year spent 4/ 4s on a delegate's uniform, and only 35s 6d under the head of relief, and next year 111 7s on a banner. A fourth London branch spent 5/ on uniforms, 3/ 3s on a medal for the treasurer, 97/ 10s on salaries, but nothing under the head of relief. Hull branch one year spent 12/ 9s 6d on a banner' 71 10s on a medal to one of its officials, and 101 lOs on the hire of a piano. Next year it paid 17/ lOs for a piano, and 87/ for medals, while the legal protection it granted its members was but 11/ 9s 6d. Leith paid 14/ 108 for uniforms for its officials, 2/ 12s 7d for " regalia crape for banner," and gave the officers' union 20/, while the widow of one of its own members got but 40s. Liverpool one year spent 41/ 10s on a ball, but only granted 12/ shipwreck relief. Next year at this branch 527/ 5811(1 went in salaries, but only 6/ 8s 3d in "protection," although 6/ 12s was spent on Conway, one of the officials who was hanged for the murder of a little boy there. In this branch there is also an item "testimonial and expenses, 4/ 14s 8d.,,  Whether the testitnonial was to Conway, and, if so, whether in recognition of his crime, does not appear; but it does appear that part of the funds of this branch were devoted to a testimonial to Mr NV. M. Maxwell, ACCUSED OF MISAPPROPRIATING  a cheque for 523/ 8s 6d, and failing to account for 87/ us 6d. In the Liverpool tugboat branch another official is charged with a deficiency of 56/ 16s sd, while "protection " only cost 41 lOs 1(1. Newport one year spent no less than 1,247/ 3s id on strikes, 232/ 9s 104 on salaries, and 34/ lOs on a banner, but only spared 26/ towards shipwreck relief. North Shields devoted the beggarly sum of us 44 to relief, while it spent 7118 s on concerts, 5/ on sashes, 10/ on a banner, 143/ 12s 64 on salaries, awl 2591 36 11d on strikes. Besides giving 50/ to the Scotch railway men, South Shields expended 730/ 14s 8d on strikes; but 34/ lOs is the sum set down for medical relief. Cardiff one year spent 69/ lOs 94 under the heading of "miscellaneous," and 231 12s lid under that of "general expenses" (no details being given in the Annual Report), and 228/ 108 54 in salaries, while only 7/ 13s 104 went in "advances to members." Another year Cardiff spent 380/ in salaries, 40/ on general expenses, 225/ 19s 7(1 on "special disbursements" (whatever that may mean), while only 63/ went for "protection." Next year the same branch spent 1,317/ Is 14 on a club, although it does not appear that clubs are among the Union's objects, while " loans and relief" only consumed 61/ 3s. Middlesbrough gave one of its officials an illuminated address costing six guineas, and spent 35/ on a banner, while two members presumably in distress were only voted lOs 24 each. Turning to the head office account, we find that while 10.888/ 13s 3d went last year in salaries, only 930/ 19s 64 went in shipwreck relief, and 1,112/ 18s 44 in sick ; and death claims. During the yeas 1890 the sum of 32,346/ went in stationery, printing, salaries, ! law and general expenses, While only 30/ is 6d. was , spent undc.r the heading of relief, 970/ lOs 84 in sick pay, and 832/ 7s 3d in compensation for shipwreck.