"HANDS OFF."

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 1912, 21 November 1913, Page 9

"HANDS OFF."

; CARPENTERS AND THE TION. SOME PLAIN SPEAKING. CB» Association,) Auckland, November 20. , ihc futility of strikes, the irresponsible action, of the representatives of . the federation of Labour, and tho dan- ! 'f f f °| r 1 -W-W- methods were referred , t« by Mr. .tv*n- Haaell, secretary of the L Lxecutive Board of the Amalgamated , b ? c '? t -V o< the Carpenters and Joiners of JSow Zealand. Mr. Hazoll, who is a working tradesman, arrived in Auckland last Sunday fur the purpose of carrying out the instructions of the executive, who had not sanctioned the direct actum of the Auckland carpenters and joiners. Me said thai so far as his society was concerned, the strike was closed, and members had been, instructed to return to work. The executive wanted the representatives of 5 the I'edoration of Labour and other , unions to understand that it must bo ; a case of "hands oil.' 1 The executive i was capable of managing its own affairs . according to the rules of the- society, i which had been agreed to by members , throughout tho world. The society I had always been and was stijl prepared, , to lielp those, in need hi time of strike • or lock-out. but could not, and won id • not, hand over its members and funds • K ™° mcm b firs «£ uu irresponsible , fctrike Committee, who had banded . themselves together to "smash up" , the society, it was either tho Ecdera- . tio.il of Labour or tk» 'Amalgamated So- - oiety of Carpenters and Johiors that must go to the wall in Auckland, .ami i the Executive Board hud sufficient coni hdeneo in the majority of the Auckland >. members to expect them to remain loyal . to the society. Severs! members were . receiving superannuation and benefits, , ami several more were entitled to them, but by this illegal strike members practically stood to lose all the benefits. Tho best course- to adopt, in Sir. Ha-zoll's opinion, is for the unions to give financial assistance to those affected by the strike. Tho Strike Committee, continued Mr. Haxeil, took fall possession, of the society's office, and on j Air. HazeH'Ofltoriog tho office to interview tho District Council as urcar ranged, he saw- the general rules of tho ■ society placed on the wall, iii a frame 1 r™ p t ?d I' 1 - 1 Msck lettel, s> with the letters R.1.1V printed in large letters-nerora the opened pages. Mr. Hwil inform- ' ed the Executive Board oif the state ; of affairs in Auckland, and as a result ; told tho Strike Committee .that they ■ must at once give tip possession of the offices of tho society to tho appointed officer (Mr. H. BatafieJktt, iriio was en. gaged by tho Executive Board tor an indefinite period, and was empowered to carry out from time to time the 'in* structiqns of the' hoard. lit answer to a question, Mr; Hazeil said it was impossible for; an old-estab-lished and strong financial society like the Amalgamated Society of Carpenters and Joiners to identify themselves an , any way with the Federation, the ofli- , cials of which acted' in a hasty and irresponsible maimer. His experience ; taught him that strikes 'were' futile-. . The methods of the Federation oi \ Labour did not appeal to his society, . and Ho said that it was Hot likely that [ a body which had *spewM since its formation, 50. years ago, the sum of £4,600,000 in benefits to its members and paid £60.000 n year in supcramiw* tion was likely to handover its affairs' to. the class of men who were assocjutetj with the Federation of Labour. The society was opposed to syndicalism and I.W.W. methods, which never.'accomplished ■ anything hut wiser V poverty, discontent, and death. The unions should manage their own affair's wider the peaceful iitethdds: of the Concilia. . tion Council and Arbitration Court. . The strikes should-bo stopped by poli- . tical action, which was the best weapon i the workers could use to gain their free- . dom.