REV. MR. CHAPMAN AND THE MASTER TAILORS

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 260, 30 July 1919, Page 8

REV. MR. CHAPMAN AND THE MASTER TAILORS

: Sir-Were it not for the fact that there are many people W ho think ho a statement made or repeated by f ""n""" is beyond question. I should notU spass on your valuable space. H™f ? r > a?'the one in question is a gioss m?.stice to most, and, I believe, all. master tailors. I will ciuoto the same for the purpose of Riving an emphatic denial to Fhc'imniendo it contains. The reverend gentleman said he noticed in ttamj papers recently a statenient made by Mr. Kenrdon in the Arbitration Con it i,, connection with the Tariore' Union vir "that the increase in wages had not been, responsible for the, vast increase for lie held that for every s nilln" R verf the employee the employer one pound." The reverendgenHeman then went. on to say tha I this were so it was iniquitous, and that lie Government should step in and prohibit such exploitation.If this were so, I agree that it would be up to tho Government to take a hand: but Sir, before tho Kev. Mr.. Chapman raised the righteous indignation of his audience and the public through the newspaper reports it was up to him to make some inquiries as to whether there was any truth in the statement. Let us suppose a similar statement being made by some anti-cleric, implying that out of every pound .contributed to church funds the clergyman received 19s. What would Mr. Chapman think of anyone trvin" to inflame the indignation of the public against the men of his profession by repenting the statement from a platform before making proper inquiries as to whether the statement whs true? Sir, it is quite unnecessary to blame tailors' wages for the present high pries of clothes. True, they are a factor in the increased cost, but only a small one compared to the great increase in the costs of materials, such as serges, tancy worsteds, and dress suitings, the average increase on such goods being from £i upwards per.suit length, to which has to be added all tho trimmings, the prices of which are three, four, and live, times as much as they used to lie. As all these como from overseas they have to pay duty nn the high prices, which means that the revenue is a considerable gainer. Tailor* in New /Poland have no say in thn--e prices, n>;cl in, the opinion of the trade generally there, is little hope of buying cheaper during the next 12 months.-T am. etc.. • 1). MILLIGAN. Kel'burn Avenue, July 29.