CORRESPONDENCE.

Hokitika Guardian, 27 November 1925, Page 3

CORRESPONDENCE.

MATTER FOR A RULING. ■ To the Editor.) Sir.— In your issue ol yesterday you had an answer to “Sawmill Worker” ro union funds. It appears quite clear that your questioner wished the answer to be in connection with the Westland Sawmill Workers’ Union, and if this is so. then you might have consulted .the rules of that union before publishing pour answer. For the benefit of the sawmill worker 1 wish to point out that the Westland Sawmill Workers' Inion rules provide for a contribution of Cl per half year in advance, and the executive have the power to reduce this by half if they so wish. The rules do not provide for any levies whatever, and could not do so, if the Union wished to maintain its preference clause. The underlying suggestion to

tlie subject under discussion appears to be the use, or application of. a levy for political purposes. It may he interesting to “ Sawmill Worker't to

know that the Sawmill Workers’ Unioi has never put a levy on for politico purposes, but the timber workers sub -crihc liberally to a fund for this purpose quite voluntarily, and eighty pei cent of them know their class position, and to their credit vote Labour on all occasions.

Yours, etc.. F. L. TURLEY, Seeretary. W.I'.Y. am] S.I.U. of Workers. [The “Sawmill Worker” enquiring for information on the subject will no doubt te pleased to have Mr Turley’s assurance on the matter, to clear up a point on which there was a doubt. Mr Turley's knowledge of the registered rules of the Union appears to Ik* somewhat at fault, however, as under Rule 20 there is power to make 'levies, hut as was explained previously, only in conformity with the objects of the Union, which, as has teen stated, are not political. Our interpretation was strictly in accordance with the rules. —Ed.’“ G.”j