PREFERENCE TO UNIONISTS.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 460, 19 March 1909, Page 6

PREFERENCE TO UNIONISTS.

"EMPLOYERS WILL BE COMPELLED TO FIGHT." CBT TELEGBAPIt—PBES3 ASSOCIATION) __ Auckland, March 18. The remarks made by Mr. Justice Sim at the Arbitration Court at Wellington on Tuesday in speaking of the question of preference to unionists, have excited considerable interest amongst employers'. The president of the Auckland' Provincial Employers' Association (Mr. D. Goldie), in conversation to-day, said:—"lt seems very evident that employers, will bo compelled to fight the question of preference very much more stringently than heretofore. There are no doubt a great number of unionists who are not first-rate workmen, and very many non-unionists who are good tradesmen. In tho past, so long as ono could show that the person engaged was a better tradesman than those whoso names were on the. books seeking employment, the Court and inspector were satisfied, but if a new order is to bo instituted then immediate action must be taken. The matter, in fact, is .already occupying the attention of the New. Zealand Employers' Federation in the'direction of preventing preference from being . granted. If, in spite of our protests,, preference is granted, we shall have to again consider tho position with a view to finding a • remedy -to save ourselves from having .'forced upon us so-called tradesmen who are not competent to earn one half of . the wages" fixed by the Court."