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The Cyclopedia of New Zealand [Otago & Southland Provincial Districts]

Trade Societies

Trade Societies.

The Dunedin Builders And Contractors' Association was founded in 1873. A meeting was held on the 16th of May of that year in the Glasgow Arms Hotel, Mr. James Gore in the chair, when it was determined to found an association in the interests of the building trade generally, and a committee was formed to draft the constitution and rules. At a meeting held a few weeks later, in the Athenaum, there were thirteen builders and contractors present, and the rules and regulations were read and approved of. It was agreed that the principal object of the association should be to protect the interests of the trade generally, and to maintain its rights and privileges. It was decided that the entrance fee should be £1, and that meetings should be held every month. The first officers were: President, Mr. James Gore; Treasurer, Mr. Robert Howlison; and Secretary, Mr. J. B. Thomson. The association was re-organised at the beginning of 1890, and since then the membership has increased, and it has met with success generally. The registered office of the association is at 12 Moray Place, where meetings are held on the third Wednesday of the month. At present (1904) there are fifty-three members, and the officers are: President, Mr. C. E. George; Vice-President, Mr. Robert Orr; Secretary, Mr. R. C. Torrance, and Treasurer, Mr C. Foster.

Mr. Richard Cameron Torrance , Secretary of the Dunedin Builders and Contractors' Association, was born in Glasgow, where he learned his trade and afterwards helped to erect many large buildings. He came to Dunedin in 1878 by the ship “Auckland,” and was for some time in the employment of Mr. James Gore, then a leading builder in the city. For twelve years Mr. Torrance was in partnership with Mr. Simpson, under the style of Torrance and Simpson, and during that period the firm erected many large buildings. In 1901 the partnership was dissolved, and since then Mr. Torrance has carried on business on his own account. Besides the handsome building for the Young Women's Christian Association in Moray Place, he has erected several large warehouses in the city. Mr. Torrance is one of the oldest members of the Dunedin Liedertafel. He is a Freemason of old standing and is attached to Lodge Celtic, 477, Scottish Constitution. He is also a member of the Caledonian Bowling Club. Mr. Torrance is married, and has a family of eight children. His eldest son is a partner in the firm of Torrance and Clough, plumbers, Filleul Street, Dunedin.

The Otago Licensed Victuallers' Association was organised in 1867 on lines similar to those adopted by the Association of Licensed Victuallers in London. It owes its origin mainly to Mr. John Golder, at that time a detective in the Government service, who sought, by bringing about a union of hotelkeepers, to enable licensees to protect themselves more effectively against breaches of the Licensing Act, and other irregularities which were threatening to bring the trade into disrepute. Since its establishment, the Association has had a membership representing the large majority of licenses within its jurisdiction, and it is claimed to have effected a considerable amount of valuable service. Since the advent of the No-License party, the Licensed Victuallers' Association has extended its field of operations, and now, in addition to protecting the trade from local offences, it seeks, when it considers it just in the interests of the community, to influence the course of politics. An annual meeting is held for the election of officers, and business meetings are held frequently throughout the year. The officers for the year 1903–4 are: President, Mr. C. B. M. Branson; Treasurer. Mr. John Watson; and Secretary, Mr. John Wells. There are also two vice-presidents, and a committee of nine members.

Mr. Charles Bilderbeck Mead Branson , President of the Otago Licensed Victuallers' Association for the year 1903–4, is the founder and present proprietor of the popular hotel which bears his name. He is a son of an East Indian merchant, and was born at Madras in 1848, and educated at Shrewsbury School and Cheltenham College in England. He passed by direct commission into the Army in 1869, and was gazetted as a cornet in the 1st King's Dragoon Guards, where he subsequently became lieutenant. After devoting about five years to military pursuits, which he intended to make his permanent calling, Mr. Branson met with an accident which necessitated his transfer to the 1st Battalion 7th Royal Fusiliers, and his ultimate retirement from the army, in 1874. In 1875 he sailed for New Zealand, and landed at Lyttelton in November of the same year. He spent the two succeeding years at teaching in Canterbury, and became headmaster of the Ashburton public school. In 1879 he resigned, and some years after took up a position in the Grand Hotel. Dunedin, where he remained eleven years. In 1896 Mr. Branson established his present hotel, which is noticed in another section of this volume. He is a man of many interests, and devotes much time to the study of political, educational, military and athletic matters. Mr. Branson is married, and has two sons and one daughter.

Mr. John Wells , Secretary of the Otago Licensed Victuallers' Association, was first elected to that office in 1882, and has filled the position for fifteen of the intervening years. Mr. Wells was born in Kent, England, in January, 1839, and educated at private schools in England and France. He was page 270 apprenticed to the wholesale woollen trade in London, but three years later found employmenmt in building. He remained at that for only two years, however, and in
Wrigglesworth and Binns, Photo.Mr. J. Wells.

Wrigglesworth and Binns, Photo.
Mr. J. Wells.

1863 sailed for New Zealand. For ten years Mr. Wells engaged in mercantile pursuits in Nelson, in gold digging in Westland, and sawmilling in Marlborough. He removed to Otago in the seventies, and has since divided his time between journaliste work, the timber industry, hotel-keeping, and the business of a general commission agent, which he combines with the duties of his official post. He was for some time part proprietor of the “Bruce Herald,” and afterwards sole proprietor of the “Evening Tribune” Dunedin. For several years, Mr. Wells owned the Provincial Hotel, Stafford Street and at that time successfully catered for the Exhibition of 1889–90.