FEDERATION OF LABOUR.

King Country Chronicle, Volume VIII, Issue 672, 27 May 1914, Page 5

FEDERATION OF LABOUR.

WAIBI MINERS' ATTITUDE,

A letter has been sent by the Ohine'

muri Mines and Batteries Union to the Federation of Labour, in reply to a circular inviting all unions to attend a conference on July 7th. The letter states, inter alia—"The contents of the circular appear to members of this union to group themselves under three headings, vi., grotesque, insulting, and hypocritical. They also clearly demonstrate that the Federation of Labour is in articulo mortis."

Under the first heading it asserted that the Federation ia masquerading under a new name, and is drawing a red-herring across the scent by inviting other unions to a conference with the bait of "one union, one delegate, one vote." When the Ohinemuri Union had a membership equivalent to ten or twenty small unions, "duped by the Federation." proportionate representation should have been offered. Under the second heading the letter points out that the circular is insult- [ ing because the Federation, "in its /nalicious disappointment, described the Waihi Arbitration Union aa 'the bosses' union, scab unions,' etc., and vainly tried to declare Waihi 'a black town' also that it printed a scurrilous pamphlet, bristling with misrepresentations, and with statements absolutely contrary to facts, and published names of members of the union therein who would not their manhood, and submit their conscience and principle to the ignorant leadership of the organisation which has proved the greatest union destroyer, strife creator, and home breaker this country has ever had to tolerate. But,now that Federation finds its funds depleted, its membership pitiably weak, its influence a laughing stock, and the general public hostile to its monarchical, revolutionary I W.W. teachings and practices,

it crawls with ludicrous pleadings to a union vhich has been subjected to its insult-?, abuse, misrepresentations, and sneaking underhand methods ever since it was formed."

The reply concludes by stating that the Waihi Union "could not, under any circumstances, entertain the idea of condescending to insult any member by even suggesting to nominate him as a delegate to attend such a farcical conference. Finallv, let us advise you not to interfere with men who are sincere in their endeavours to do their duty to their fellow-men without hope of personal gain or recompense. The Federation has hed one sharp lesson from Waihi; let it take this as a signal for 'hands off.' "