LETTERS TO THE EDITOR.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 1896, 3 November 1913, Page 9

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR.

MR. REARDON & THE FARMERS. (To tho Editor.) Sir, —Your correspondent, Mr. J. Reardon, may know something of theart of making a good living in an easy way out of unionism, but he knows very liltlo about tho meat trade, except as tho secretary' of a Slaughtermen's Union that was knocked into tho proverbial "cocked hat" by tho farmers. Mr. Reardon says: "Tlie farmers wero bluffed into tho belief that they would get their stock away if they became strike-breakers during tho strike. But they didn't. Tho lying Press Association messages made the public believe' that tho farmers wore getting rid of their stock. Tho recent statement of tho Minister of Railways completely disproves the positive assertions of pressmen who wore being fooled by the meat companion. Hundreds of farmers know that when a buyer camo to draft a lino of sheep lie oniy took one where in other seasons lie would liavo taken three. "Then lool; at. tho state of the market dining all this time. Weekly reports of auctioneering lirms show that the bottom rraa right out of tho fat gtook

markot wlierovor the trouble remained unsettled. Wo know of instances whoro farmorß 1-ost iivo a hoad on sheep while trying to.save throo-tenths oi a peimv for tlio cuinpfiniM." II r. ,J. iieui'don will probably understand what 1 mean when I say that ho is "talking through his hiit," Tbfl'. tiKUTRH for th« vrars ended September 30, 1013, 1912, "J 011, and 1910 respectively, show tho following:— C'wt. £ • 1013 *2,r.0/,ei 1 4,490,745 191 a 2,513.020 •"1,808,010 1911 2,313,751 3,588,479 1910 2,700,133 3,929,311 ••Comparing 1913 with 1912, there is an increase of about 30J per cent, bi vrluo, and 23J per cent, iu output, alul this m Bpito of tho slaughtermen 8 striko. Tiio farmers did not do so badly in smashing that strike,—J. am, etc.. NON-UNIONIST. A WARNING. (To tho Editor.) Sir, —Having mixed through tho crowd last directly after this riot was over, I have no hesitation in asserting that many of tho strikers were perceptibly under tho influenco of drink. Therefore, to prevent ft rcpofci-; tion of a similar outbreak, 1 would suggest that tho Government bo called upon to order tlio closing of all licensed hotels until such time as tbo striko is over. Moreover, women and children should not bo allowed to bang round opiwsito the old Post Oflico Buildings, Custom House Quay. Persons who explode crackers during these commotions should realise tlio fact that such actions are likely to intensify bitter feelings on either side, as it is bard to distinguish tho report of a pistol from tho explosion of a cracker. —I am, eto., CAUTION. OetobeT 31. .