LETTER TO THE EDITOR

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 2126, 18 April 1914, Page 7

LETTER TO THE EDITOR

HARBOUR BOARD'S EMPLOYEES. Sir, —I wish to contradict ono or two fftlsp assertions circulated by opponents to the proposed formation of tho union of tho Harbour Board's employees. A bald: statement was published in Thursday evening'e edition of tha "Evening l'osji" announcing that the rules dratted by tho committee Bet up for tho purposo were based on. tho rules of tho old Waterside Union, with additions and deletions. This statement is correct. Our opponents say that wo aro using tho H«d .-Federation rules. Let mo tell them that every, rulo favourable to that body and overy clause with n Socialistic tendency was deleted. A cleiujr. moro comprehensive, or bettor drafted 6et of rules for tho government of a union it has not been my pleasure to see, but the fact of recommending the majority of t'ho rules to tho proposed now union does not mako us Hod Feds. Our aim is to mako this new union absolutely independent, froo from outside influences, owning no allegiance to other bodies;.,in .ohorb, a union to look after its own individual members, and its own business, nothing more, nothing less.' All thinking men will agree with, mo when I mako the assertion that it is only a matter of a short timo bo-, fore the Federation of Labour will control tho prosent Waterside- Union. This proposed union of Harbour Board employees will always prove a serious stumbling block to tho Federation in its. efforts to promote trouble on the waterfront. I eincerely hopo that tho Harbour Board will lend their aid to a movement tending to consolidate the mass of their employees into a strong and loyai body, instead of driving them back into the arms of a powerful faction of work-, ers, unscrupulous in their methods of gaining their ends, viz., the Federation of Labour,'of whoso doings the board's members are quite aware. Ono very stringent and important new rule we drafted is: "No person can hold office in this union unless ho ho a member working for the Harbour Board. ,, No "has been" can hold office. This was inserted to provent office-hunters and outsiders from obtaining office. Every position is honorary, with the exception of tho secretaryship, and the salary of the secretary will not bo very high. We want each and everyone holding office to work on tho wharves, and thus keep in touch with all matters; no hiahly-paid officials, whoso only duty will be to create trouble. Another rule relates to secret ballote. Wo have inserted a clause' making it compulsory for all members to exorcise their vote under penalty of a fine. Wo intend to make all members help to control their own affairs j wo want no minority rulo, no 'autocratic rule by an executive as at prosent exists. Our executive will bo purely an advisory body. With regard to the conditions at present existing. I will deal with them in a letter in a later issue. I shall bo very_ pleased to nnewer any question' relative to the formation of tho new union.—l am, etc., J. HILL.