THE GOVERNMENT AND STRIKERS

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1387, 13 March 1912, Page 4

THE GOVERNMENT AND STRIKERS

CRITICISM lIY EMPLOYERS' FEDERATION.

The following letter was sent yostni-tlay la llio lion. .). A. Millar, Minister for Labour, by the secretary of the New Zenland Employers' Federation:— "Hon. J. A. Millar, "Minister for Labour, "Wellington. "Sir,—l am instructed by my Advisor} Hoard to express regret that no reply has been received to my communication of Ist ult., expressing surprise thai no action had been taken in connection with tho strike in NovemW last of labourers employed on the Auckland drainage works, ami requesting that proceedings .should bo instituted without delay. "My federation notes with regret that a Government which has previously taken prompt, stens to punish flagrant breaches of (he law dealing with strikes should, at a time, when it is essential that this species of lawlessness should 1» dealt with, with firmness and determination, showa signs of weakness in its administration. "hi addition to no action having been taken in connection with the Auckland drainage works strike, it is noted with considerable disappointment that press reports indicate with regard to the Wellington Intunvays strike that the Labour Department is claiming only tho amount provided in Clauses 5 and 6 of (he Indus, trial Conciliation and Arbitration Amendment Act, l'.fflß, and not for the amount specified in Clause 0, which deals specifically with ofi'cnces such as the one committed in connection with Hie matter under notice, whereby a most important public) service and the public of "Wellington put to great inconvenience. Further, it is reported that no action is to be taken against certain individuals, some of them quite unconnected with tho Wellington Tramways Union, who aided and abetted the strike and did all possibles to extend the trouble and promote further dislocation of trade. Surprise is expressed Hint special provisions in the Act passed at your own instigation should not ho given effect to when such deliberata breaches of thoso provisions have been committed. "My Advisory Board regrets the necessity lias arisen to bring these matters under your notice, but feels it is only performing a duty cast upon it as tho executive of an organisation representing many thousands of employers of labour m Xe«r Zealand in respectfully suggesting to you that instructions should be issued to the officials of the Labour Department to— "(1\ Take immediate action in connection with the Auckland drainago works strike. "(i) Increase the amount of the claint in connection with (ho Wellington tram* ways strike to the amount provided by law for offences definitely specified in tho Act, such as the one ociumitted in this connection. "(3) Take action against those whom it is alleged aided and abetted the latter strike. "I am further instructed to say that in consequence of the great importance my federation attaches to the necessity of action being taken in cases where serious and deliberate breaches of the law aro committed, and because of tho great amount of public interest in the matter* • herein dealt with, it has been decided to hand n copy of this letter to the press for publication. ! "I have the honour to be, Sir, "Yours respectfully, "WILLIAM I'IIYOR, "Secretary."