FUTILITY OF STRIKES.

Press, Volume XLIX, Issue 14829, 21 November 1913, Page 10

FUTILITY OF STRIKES.

"DIRECT ACTION" CONDEMNED'

MR IVOR HAZELL'S OPINION.,

(PRESS ASSfXJIATION TZLXGBAU.) AUCKLAND, November 20. Tlie irresponsible action of the representatives of the Federaiio& of Labour - and the dangers of I.W.WV methods V were referred to by Jlr Ivor Hazell, secretary of the Executive Board of the Amalgamated Society of Carpenters and Joiners of New Zealand. ilr Haaeu. who is a working tradesman, arrived m Auckland last Sunday for the purposeof carrying out the instructions of the .. executive, who nad not sanctioned the • direct action of the Auckland carpen- - ■ ters and joiners. - ( Ho said that, so far as bis society -was. concerned, the strike was closed, and __ meml>ors had been instructed to return r to work. Tho executive wanted representatives of tho Federation of Laboiir, and other unions to understand ( t]»trt must be a case of "hands o». . in« executive was capable of managing itt own affairs according to the rules of tlie society, which had been to ny members throughout the worla. in* * society had always been, and was suu prepared to help those in need in time

- .: o f ctrike or lock-out, but could not and Soild not hand over its members - and funds to the members of an irresponSbfc Strike Committee, who had banded themsHvw together to smash uo the society. It was either, the Federation or Labour or the AmalgaSwttti Svioty of Carpenters and Joiners that must go to the wall in YtK-ktonrl. nnd tho executive of the Hoard lw' s sufficient confidence in tho Saioritv of the Auckland members to export- "thvm to remain loyal to the society. Several members wore receivinc siim-rsinnuation and benefits, , and scleral more were entitled to them, but ■by this illegal strike members practic- < aJ!v .stood to lose all benefit*. The best coarse to adopt, in Mr Hazell's opinion, is for tho anions to give financial assistance to those affected by tho strike. Tho Strike Committee, continued ilr Haz»*H. took full possession of tho society's office, and on .Mr Hazell entering the office to interview tho district "council, as prearrange*!, he saw the general rules of the society placed on'tne wall in a frame draped in black, with the letters 1t.1.P. printed in large letters across the opened pages. Mr Hazell informed the executive of the Board of the state of affairs in Auckland, and as a result told tho Strike Committee that they, must at one* give up possession of the offices of the society to its appointed officer. Mr F. Banficld. who was engaged by the execu.five of the Hoard for an indefinite period, and was empowered to carry out from time to timo the instructions of tbe Board.

In answer to a question, Mr Hazell said it was impossible for an old-estab-lished and sirorfg financial society like tho Amalgamated Carpenters andt Joiners to identify themselves in auy way with the Federation, tho official of which acted in a. hasty and irresponsible manner. His experience taugh? '.'•tin that strikes were futile. The methods of the Federation of Laboui* pot appeal to his society, and h* said that it was not likely tliat a body which had expended since its formation fifty years ago a sum of £4,000,000 in benefits to its members, and paid £60,000 a year in superannuation, was likely to hand over its affairs to a class of men who were associated with the Federation of Labour. The society was opposed to syndicalism and I.W.W. methods, which never accomplished anything but misery, poverty, discontent, and death. Unions should manage their own affairs under the peaceful methods of tho Conciliation Council and tho Arbitration Court. Strikes should be stopped by political action, which was tho best weapon the workers could use to gain their freedom.