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Dunstan Times, Issue 908, 12 September 1879, Page 2

The strike of the d'orkmfih on the Alexandra Bridge works-referred to in our Alexandra correspondent's letter in another column, though happily 'amicably settled, is none the less to he deplored, ‘inasmuch as it demonstrates anything but the existence of that mutual confi lenee that should exist between employer an I'employed. The ground of complaint appeirs to have been, that, of some thirty or forty hauls employe.! on the works, one tv is ,v Ohimmin, and on this account the European steps forward, without warning of any kind, and peremptorily demands the discharge by the contractor of the Chinaman, or the alternative—their wages, ihe alternative, as was to have been expected from the manner in which the demand was made, was given, and a number of hands thrown out of employment was the consequence. We have no great love for “ John Chinaman,” on the contrary, we would gratefully' hear of every mother’s son of them being packed off to their flowery land and say that the happy land of New Zealand was well rid of thein. But being of that mind, we opine we have no right to force our opinions down the throats of others, whether they will or no Nor we hold had the workmen in this ease any right to attempt to dictate to their employer, had they calmly met him. and stated their grievance, and been repulsed, the course taken by them might then have been justified, and they would no doubt have found syn.pathisersin us, but their mode of tackling thedifficulty met its reward, and in which we cannot hut agree. We said before it iscvidenced the paper feeling does not exist between employers and employed, and we hope some means may he devised to bring about better understanding, not only with this party of men hut with all others, aid the result must be a happy one for all concerned.