CORRESPONDENCE

Hokitika Guardian, 29 August 1919, Page 1

CORRESPONDENCE

RETURNED SOLDIERS AND THE TIMBER- WORKERS’ UNION. (To (be Editor.) Sir, —As the members of the West, Coast Timber Workers Union and tlie public generally may be Ruder a misapprehension regarding the attitude of the Returned Soldiers of Ruatapu on t!ie question of forcing Returned Soldiers to join the Union, I wish to lay the matter clearly before you.

At a meeting of the Timber Workers’ Union, held at Ruatapu on the 18th .list-., the Secretary of the Union asked two returned soldiers to move and second a motion that all returned soldiers working at .sawmills in the district be forced to join tile Union. A motion to this effect, was carried. Now, Sir, as there are eleven returned soldiers living at Ruatapu who are members of the Union, nine of whom .Vito net present- at the meeting, in justice to those nine I think the public should know that when they became aware of what had transpired they met and discussed the matter, and came to the unanimous conclusion that no returned soldier who belongs to the N.Z. K.S.A. should be forced to join any industrial union.

It is unfortunate that the notice calling the meeting of the union for the 18th inst. did not mention that this business would be brought up. Mad it been known the returned soldiers would have turned out to a man in spite of .the wet night.

Thanking you for your valuable space.—T am, etc.— J. S. PHILLIPS. G/8880 Ruatapu, 28lh August, 1919.