HUNNISHNESS.

Horowhenua Chronicle, 6 July 1916, Page 2

HUNNISHNESS.

j -Sir,—ln your issue of the 26th June appears a letter headed "Huiinishness and the Farmers' Union," and signed J. Robertson. lour correspondent has been following very closely the progress of the A.P.U. (which means tlie Xciv Zealand! Agricultural and Pastoral Workers' Union) in their endeavour 'to draw within their meshes the dairy employees, and I have no doubt disappointed at the course ' events have taken. 'The facts are as iollows. The A.P.U. applied'"For regis--sration. The Registrar of Awards in ' writing to the A.P.U. informed, .them that "there is no such organization" (meaning the A.P.U.); also "that creamery, butter and cheese factory employees could not be included in tho amalgamated union,'' and yet in the face of these facts which were well known to Mr Robertson, he charges tho t executive of the Farmers' Union with dishonourable conduct. The A.P.U. had no legal or moral right to cite the factories. The Farmers' Union would j have failedi in" their duty if they had not protected the farmers' interests. ! The reason given bv your correepondr , ent for the carrying of the resolution Ito cancel the registration of the New | Zealand Dairy Association under the Conciliation and Arbitration Act is not 'correct. He writes: "The object of j this being that thereby the dairy fac- . torv employers could break their agreement." Surely this in an oversight; he does not wish to mislead your readr ors. It makes no difference whether the -WD. A. is registered or not (to the al- : leged agreement) and that was not the ( reason for passing that resolution. As j to the statement that "I agreed to the ( committee entrusted with the negotia(tions," that may ibe, Ibut others with myself differ from some of the members of that committee as to their instructions. Mention is mad© tha-t oho speaker said if ten .farmers' unions . thought it right to unite their forces I into one big union (ten is a mistake it 'should read "the") they could not log- , ically deny the right of the men to form , themselves into one big union. The j Farmers' Union have not objected to i the men forming a union.

Tlio latter portion or your correspondent's letter >is very amusing; he must think the dairy flannel* and memlboiw of the Fanners' Union have little intelligence if they cannot see his move. He writes "J have no personal interest in this, etc.," and would try to make us 'beiiero that he is actuated by kindly .feeling to the £arm«r. fa not ii question of running with, the hare and hunting -with the hounds, Dairy fanners, AY hose ease is he the A.P.U. or yours? The reference to Hunnish methods, "to lioll with agreements and scraps of paper," are only written to cloud the ieuuc, and you •• readers will know liow to value thom, coming from such a source. The action of the Farmers' Union in this matter has been in the best interests of the dairy 'farmers and ha<v« been supported by the farmers interested. Sir, would, 1 von kindly append the follow ing clipping taiken from the Maoriland Worker, so that your readers may see the kiijdly interest Mr Robertson takes in the A.P.TX.—-I a:n, etc., THOS. MCSS. Eketahuna, July 3rd, 1916.