LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 1893, 30 October 1913, Page 5

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

CITIZENS, PROTECT YOUR KICHTS! (To the Editor.) Sir,—Tli« present strike prompts me to write this letter, which 1 trust you will find loom for in vour paper, It appears to me that bccause the waterside workers band together and say to the business people of Wellington, the shipping companies, etc.: "You shall not handle your cargo nor remove your •goods from the wharves, as we are on strike, nor shall we allow anyone else to be employed," that the- whole of the shipping trade from this port must cease. It seems to me a ridiculous position. At the outside there cannot bo more than 1000 or .so of these men, and if they have the power to hold-up the commerce and shipping of New Zealand's first port, it is going pretty far for a, civilised country'. "If the authorities eaunot protect tree labour on the wharves, or any of the importers who wish-to handle their own goods, then it is time that the citizens themselves took the matter in hand. Sly idea is that the : male citizens should form themselves into an organised body for the protection of themselves and' their property., This could be done in the way of special constables, who could parade the toivn and wharves in strong batches t-o preserve order. It' the strikers attempted to interfere with- anyone handling the cargo, this "body of constables must frustrate them: it would possibly mean an undignified scuffle or two and possibly a few broken heads, but lit my opinion it would soon end tho matter and work would go on as usual oil tho wharves. To 1110 the idea of the- harbour authorities parleying with the strikers and asking to be allowed to -send racehorses, special cargo, etc., about tho coast is a positive scandal. Why, the local merchants cannot even draw their goods from tho Queeu's Bond, as tho strikers won't allow tho goods to cross the head of the wharf. Trusting that there are others that see this matter in the same light as myself,—l am. etc., • IMPORTER. October 28. 10 ur correspondent ws are sure is only voicing the views of the great bulk of tho public. Why not aet at once?|

"OUR APPEAL." (To the Editor.) Sir, —Will you allow me a few thoughts in .your paper P The immedi'ate cailso of. the "stop work" fiasco was this: A Jinn'w'Jio contracts to do work for the Union Company-'usually paid "the walking time" to . and from the slip. But the.Union, Company has never done so. In order to compel them, the shipwrights joiiiqd the Waterside Workers' Union, and as "brother members" they feel bound to support them. So, without due notice, they stop work at once. To paralyse the port of Wellington on such a frivolous case is beyond belief in this so-called age of enlightenment. ' _ It would, be interesting to the public to know what moiiey is being paid to Messrs. Mills. Semple, Young. Scott Bennett, Hickey, and other lcaaers in this industrial warfare. Then, as funds are low, will those prominent leaders accept "strike pay"? In the-event- of the struggle being prolonged, will the.v share like a brother the coal, food, and other necessaries of life amongst their brother strikers ? In "Our Appeal," the daily paper of the Watorsiders' Union, the word "exploiters" is freely used. This French word means: "To make uso of, to cultivate, to work up, to 'utilise." Now, if this meaning is applied to the character of the employers, what have the workers to complain about? If the word "oppressor" had been used, which means "to harass, to load, or burden, with cruel, unjust, or unreasonable impositions," then there might bo some causo for inquiry. If the employers are the "exploiters" of the working classes, and engaged _ in "exploitation," wlficli means employing successfully, or the successful application of industry, there -should be great cause for thankfulness, and not of condemnation. Who, then, are the "exploiters"—meaning oppressors—of the working; men, but their leaders. Tlio language they use, the revolutionary threats' made, the suggested advice given, "to drop cases of goods overboard," show them to ' bo the real "scabs" and "barnacles" on the ship of progress. . ■ ; When it is taken into consideration, the injury done to the farmer who lias his prtsdiice to export, and the wives and children who require food stuffs from overseas, and "neighbouring ports, and who liavo had no part whatever in the miserable squabble about "walking time," why should they be forced to" suffer' needlessly over that matter? The conduct of the watersiders _ is a sari commentary on the word "union." and the "brotherhood of' man." The sooner they have recourse to the Old Commandment from the beginning, ' 'Thmi. shalt love thy neighbour as thyself," the sooner will there be peace and prosperity in this Dominion. Isa 26:10 83:1. Ps. 144:1145.-1 am, etc., DAVID NIELD. DRASTIC ACTION NEEDED. (To the Editor.) Sir, —I am disgusted with the very mild action that the companies concerned, the harbour authorities and theGovernment have taken with the strikers. All the authorities' mentioned have in their own hands a remedy for the strike that would break the union. It does' not matter in tho least if every other union in Wellington came out in sympathy, because if all of the sea freight cannot bo unloaded it cannot be carted, sold, and so on. All I have to sa.y to the shopkeepers is to hang on, let the unionists have their holiday. We, tho shopkeepers, and the farmers of the country will live all right. My -remedy is as follows: Each man that puts his foot on a ship without authority to do so from the owners of that vessel should be • charged . at the Magistrate's Court with trespass, with intent to damage or intimidation; and the maximum fine should be asked for. Then the harbour authorities should notify the strikers that: No striker, or any person having anything to do with tho union, shall be allowed on any part of tho wharf unless ho be a passenger by any steamer. If he be a passenger he shall proceed direct to or from tho steamer, as the case may be, and lie shall not interfere with any other person on the steamer or on tho wharf. Any person breaking thoso rules should bo prosecuted, and.in all cases tho maximum fine should be asked for. In tho case of pickets invading the wharves, each person should Be prosecuted, and also the union, for allowing their members to trespass thereon while acting as a picket. Also, tho Harbour Board should at onco t-Biko action for damage done to tho barricade by the strikers some days ago; against both tho strikers (as many as can bo picked—most of these men must bo well known round about tlw wharves), and also tho union, for allowing their members to damage property while oil strike. The companies whoso shipß wore invaded a few days back should also take a separate action against the men and the union for their invasion'of the ships without- having business there, ami for intimidating the free labourers 011 the ships. Each action should be taken separately, and in all cases the maximum line should be asked for. Then the police should take action against all persons who incite others to deeds of violence while ! ont on strike. They should take the names and addrosses of every person who stands about the streets near tho wharf, and

obsrgo thera with obstructing traffic. any company or merchant whose servant is obstructed while working for that company or merchant should chargo the union with intimidation, and should also take action against the particular picket that, stopped their servant. Again, where any damage is done, tho union should be charged by the police, and also each striker implicated in that particular bit of damage, where free labourers have been working, and have been stopped by the union, the police should at once take action against the union for intimidation, and against Die picket or-union official that stopped them, 011 behalf of the free labourers. It is unbelievable that the various authorities will let the chances pass How, when they! have an opportunity of bringing the union to its senses. '.Oho Government and the companies need not be afraid: they have the storekeepers and the farmers behind them, and it' must be remembered that all the fanners aro for frco labour. There would be very few waterside workers if it was not- for the farmers, so the farmers have the say, not the .so-called workers of the waterside. Why (Joes not the Government put the free labourers 011 to work the wharves? Many free labourers have to walk the roads, asking for food, while work is there on the wharves waiting.for willing hands. Why should these men starve while the, strikers play, and their childron are fed by tlw people of Wellington and other cities when there is a strike of any length?— I am, etc., STRIKE-BREAKER. OUR RAILWAYS. Sir,—Hastings was one of the electorates which turned Reform last election, while Napier remained "Liberal," but so careful is the Massey Cabinet to avoid any suspicion of favouritism, that no spoils, or even rumours of spoils, have reached Hastings, but quite too reverse, for any. little benefits going have been conferred on Napier. If we are to be penalised for returning a Reform member, then it is time to kick. For many years the trades-,,' people of Hastings have agitated for a late Saturday night- train, but tlio requests never even got a look in with .t-lie Ward Government. Wo hoped that with the return to power of tho Reform party, wo should get fair play, but t'lio new time-table shows that while an extra train has been put on, is isj another late train from Napior, so that Napier will have two trains per week leaving at 10.40 p.m., while tho latest train from Hastings 011 Saturday or any other night- is at' 9.20 p.m. —just as it was 20 years ago. Wo do not object to Napier's-, late trains if Hastings is treated similarly, and we are fairly entitled to the concession, taking into consideration the fact that according to the last census tlio district- of Hastings possessed a larger population than the district of Napier. —I am, etc., . L. W. FO.tVLER. Hastings, October 27, 1913.