WELLINGTON CITIZENS' DEFENCE COMMITTEE.

Press, Volume XLIX, Issue 14833, 26 November 1913, Page 11

WELLINGTON CITIZENS' DEFENCE COMMITTEE.

ANOTHER MANIFESTO

(PRBSS ASSOCIATION TKT.EGRAM.) -WELLINGTON, November 23. The Employers , , .Farmers', a.nd Citizens' Defence Committee has issued another manifesto, which, after rocapitulating the progress of the strike, proceeds to say: ''The committee representing both the producers' and consumers' interests, repeats that the sole responsibility existing for tho industrial -.crisis in New Zealand rests with the Wellington Waterside Workers' Union, acting at,|he behest of tho executive o. the Federation of Labour, there- being no reliance to bo placed in the written or spoken word of the Federation of Labour executive, which, together with the officers of tho Wellington Waterside Workers' Union, were signatories to the above-mentioned agreement. The Employers', Farmers', and Citizens' Defence Committee, compelled to meet the circumstances that arose out of the strike, is now committed to stand by the NVellinjjtou Waterside ■ Workers' Union which is duly registered under the provisions of the Industrial Conciliation and Arbitration Act. The employers are not opposed to organised labour as such, but they do and will most strenuously resist the despotism of the executive,, of the Federation of Labour, a body which has attempted to subject all the employers to that arrogant terrorism which it exercises over tho members of any union which it controls, who venture to differ from it in it* application of its principles and methods. From the 'outset ot" 'the strike it has been made quite clear that the Federation has sought to re-establish in the capital city, but on a larger and more extensive scale, that system of intimidation and tyranny which it introduced at Waihi, and which had there to be rigorously suppressed bjr the police. In furtherance or its ambitions the Wellington executive of the Federation of Labour was aided by willing helpers who were members of the . Waterside Workers' Union, but the Employers', Farmers', and Citizens' Defence Committee has reason to believe that a large proportion of members of the Wellington Waterside Workers' Union, while obeying peremptory orders of tho Federation to nevertheless were opposed to its dictatorial suggestions or commands, and neither approved of nor acted upon, them; The Employers', Farmers', and Citizens' Defence Committee .cannot treat with the executive of the Federation of Labour, nor with officers or members of the old Wellington Waterside Workers' Union with a view to a settlement of the strike. The union of Wellington: waterside workers, registered under the Arbitration . Act .now. in. existence,, numbers, over, jono thousand members, of whom 75 per cent, have expressed their of remaining at work in port. The union is open to members of the old union to join. One hundred and fifty members of the old union have joined, and are at work in port under exactly the samo conditions; hours of work; and rates of pay, as were secured under the agreement, of the 17th of January, 1912, which no longer exists. .The hew Drivers' Union is .also open to members of the old unionto join. The Government has now completed. arrangements for ample protection to members of the new. Arbitration unions of the water-r side workers and driversv of Wellington who are at work, and has extended its protection to their families and homes, and will continue to do so as long as the necessity for this exists!"