LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 35, 5 November 1919, Page 3

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

SURPLUS WOOL PROFITS Sir,—Mr. Mnssey's. reply to the deputation which wailed upon him in regard to the above, when they were told that tho surplus would bo "a substantial one." is in so direct conflict' with tho assurances given'.by Mr. Newman, A1.1'., and Sir .lames .Allen that thev would bo "infinitesimal,' that I am terrified to draw Mr. Massey's special attention to it.

. I understand, from the Inst public statement made, by Mr. Newman, that the owners of about six million sheep have assigned tliicj surplus on the assurances siven by them as to its probable amount: but as thu circumstances have sn chanrai. and their estimate has proved so wide of the mark and unreliable, most pcopb regard it as distinctly unfair to ask farmers, as Mr. Newman has done in his place in Parliament, to stand to their promises. If tJio signatories are not so released from their written promise to assign the surplus, it is onlv one more illustration of the danger of signing anything' in the nature of a blank cheane, and although I have not been foolish enough to sign such an invidious document myself, I maintain, and'have done so from the beginning, that no. one occupying a hi-jli position was justified m asking anyono to sigh without specifying some limit.

You aro aware, Sir, that I havo never eitributeo.' any improper motive to the Kentlemen I have named, but ignorance of the commercial usages is no excuse for their act. Mr. Newman's nov-born zeal in the intersls of the "New Zealand -producer," as rellected by his question in the House, on the subject drawn attention to in my letter, is peculiar, when we remomber that lie asked us all to assign the surplus. His interest, apparently, still lies in The other direction—l am, etc., SHEEP PARMER. PROBLEMS OF INDUSTRIAL UNREST CO-OPERATION OP WORKERS AND EMPLOYERS. Sir,—ln your leader of October 31 you give credit; to tho New Zealand Employers' federation for the manner in which 'they are endeavouring to solve the problems of industrial unrest. For your information and that of the general public 1 am directed to write and forward to you for publication alongside your leader correspondence from this society to employers concerned in one of the most essential and national industries (throughout the Empire in both peace and war) to' let tho light ot day into tho wishes of. tho whole of the workers in this industry, also to prove conclusively that tho workers concerned have tried to co-operato to bring about what you say the employers of the Dominion are endeavouring to do. There aro no obstacles in the way from this side, as correspondence will show that wo aro unanimous. In fact, the associations concerned have each appointed representatives from each centre to carry our proposal into effect, and aro meeting in Christchurch on November 10. Should tho Employers' Federation desire to hear our views' and will appoint their executive officers to confer with ours, the writer would bo only too pleased to arrango a separate day to discuss these problems of industrial unrest, or any other matter they wish to bring forward for tho betterment of tho industry. Prom our point of view the only way to settle tho question of industrial unrest is.by a Dominion conference. Any agreement arrived at would placo the whole of employers on.»an equal footing. The workers would all be working under the same conditions. Local conferences have been tried ever since the inception of the Arbitration Act, and are far' from satisfactory. Under the Act an association has the power to call for a Dominion conference, but any body bring forced against their wishes cannot be expected to co-operato in the .manner desired..

■ Shou'd • the employers wish to reconsider their decision, the writer will arrange with other societies to hold from citing in the ordinary way for a wrod of one month. Thanking you in anticipation,—l am, etc., P. E. WARNER, Federal Secretary, N.Z. Federated Boilermakers, and Secretary Iron Trades Industrial Council. P.S.—You might arrange with employers concerned to publish, their replies.— P.E.W. November 2. [Mr. Warner onelosed with his letter copies of a number of letters received from secretaries of unions of workers in tho iron trade in other centres. The.se bear out his statement that the unions in other'centres are agreeable to a Do, minion conference on the lines set out in his letter to the employers, viz., "that two representatives from each centre should meet under the Conciliation Council (that is, one from the engineering firms and one from builders) to discuss and if possible agree upon a set of conditions suitable to. all parties." The letter wont on to say that it was believed a similar arrangement, could be made to meet the engineers, moulders, nnd metal workers' assistants, and expressed the desire to meet'genuine employers only and not their advocate. Accepting Mr. Warner's suggestion, we submitted his lettei to the secretary of tho Engineers, Metal Workers', nnd Iron and Brassfounders* Industrial Union of Employers, and received the following Teply :— Sir,—l beg to thank you for your courtesy in submitting to me a letter dated 2nd. inst., written by Mr. P. E. Warner, Federal secretary, Boilermakers' Industri.il Union of Workers, and secretary Iron Trades Industrial Council. By submitting the 'letter to me, you have accepted Mr. Warner's invitation to receive a reply thereto. I nofco that Mr. Warner states in his leita to you that ho is sending you correspondence from tho Boilermakers' Union which has been exchanged with the employers, which in this case means with tho "Wellington Engineers', Metal Workers and Iron and Brassfounders' Industrial Union of Employers.

Thero is uo desire on the part of members of my union to enter into a newspaper controversy upon the matter which Mr. Warner lias touched upon, Sir. Briefly, I may state that the ironmasters of tho Dom'inion have been invited attend a Dominion conference to consider new conditions for & Boilermakers' award, and tiie invitation suggested the inclusion of builders. The ironmasters are not favourable to a conference including, nny excepting those actually engaged in the engineering trade. Mr. Warner was so informed in the first acknowledgment of hw invitation, but in further correspondence has stated that his members approve of tlio conditions set out I)}* him.

T. note that Mr. Warner stales in. his letter to yon .that "local conferences havebeen tried ever since the inception of the. Arbitration Act and are far from satisfactory." I am somewhat surprised at that .statement,' for the awards of all sections of the 'engineering trade in the Wellington district under which we are at present working were secured by local conferences, and wo merely went to the Court of Arbitration together to have samo confirmed and ratified by the Court. I may state. Sir, that there are quite a number of ironmasters -who would favour a Dominion conference, m-oviiled such conference was composer! only of those connected with the engineering tradeemployers and workers—and to consider each section of the trade, and if Mr. Warner will address me on those lines, 1 think it ([uitc likely that ho would receive a reply which might bring about a ..Dominion'conference on the lines I have stated—Again thanking you, Sir, I am, etc., H. V. ALLEN, Secretary Wellington Engineers, Metal AVor'kers, and Iron and Brassfomulers' industrial Union of Employers. Al; the auction rooms of Messrs. Ilodg-' kins. Carver and Co. yesterday there was a large attendance, when 21221 acres of land at Pirinoa'wore offered. After spirited bidding the properly, not reaching liio reserve of .£20,(100, was passed in.