THE TYPOGRAPHICAL ASSOCIATION.

Clutha Leader, Volume II, Issue 86, 2 March 1876, Page 5

THE TYPOGRAPHICAL ASSOCIATION.

TO THE EDITOR.

Si ii, — A- paragraph appeared in your . issue of the 2,4 th. inst.,, which. .-, sta tes that;a compositor called at- your office; seeking ;omployment, : who asserted that, he could , have. p.btained w;b v i , k: ?f at .the. Dunedin ' 6 Evening News,? but -hads been prevented ,by ; tlie Typographical A sspjcra tion.: ; Having; , , given . publicity to;the statement, vyill.yo.u, in. justice to that body allow me^to^give^'him . a ,flai contradiction. I would , have: wished, that in publishing the assertion;- you. would .have. given the name, of the person by whom/ it- was .made ; . for not , having done so places-me ..sqmewhat at! a disadvantage. With your,, permission - however, I will . gi ye, ; a few : facts which , may .put --a, -different .aspect on ; ,the, matter. . Some two \yeeks since'a cqnipositqr, named John Inglis, called..upon me— or rather, '..to.,. be,,. particular,.-, was-, introduced by a member of theAsspcia-, tion-^-and If was informed that he could if he liked have '.a -frame on. the 'News.'/ T was asked what; the Society was prepared to; do ; for, Mr; Inglis, should: he reftiseto enter that office, r Mr Inglis was not a member, of the Association,, neither did he bring an accredited cai-d. from. any other Society,; consequently he had no claim .upon-, us as a body.. His „•, friend was informed -, that : the . Society could npt-see/itsway to making provision for Mr Ingiis — 'more especially; as he had lost his. situation, at .Palmerston a week, previously .through/hisown fault-; — whilst, sp me „pf its members were on the list - of -the unemployed.... The statement, that -he,., was preytnted. from entering the __' News' office :is utterly untrue, as of Course., no u, being recognised by the Association, it had. no concern a,bout, or control oyer , his movements. Although unable, or unwilling to vote the; funds to/ a person, who Had wilfully .thrown iiimself put 'of work, the, sum of 10s "was subscribed for- his relief at the ' Times/ r office, ,- and also a similar amount at the 'Star.' I. have no doubt, 'however, in relating this latest phrase, of ; " tyranny, vyith. a, vengeance,", Mr Thglis observed; a discreet silence as to the latter fact. .. Without wishing to say a. hard word- against JVI : r.. Inglis, h is hardly tobeexpepted. that, every man who; unfortunately . placeshimself, in a dilemma should .have pur funds .to fall back uppn. - -We, ,place .no : restriction upon.;, any . perspn / seeking, employment at the ' N^vys;' .office ; v o ver . non-members :we ,posses ; 'no,^control ;. .aiid, l am pleased to say- that,; amongst our members ;tb eir own ,'sense of ; honpr forbids them doing. sb., — I am,,i6;c., ;/ John Duncan,

Sec.,o. T. A.