The Whitcomb and Tombs Difficulty.

Manawatu Herald, Volume III, Issue III, 12 August 1890, Page 2

The Whitcomb and Tombs Difficulty.

A.T a mee'ing of Unionists in Wellinton on Thursday night the following resolutions were passed :— •' That this meeting reoogniges the present struggle as an evidence of an apparent combination of capital to crush the labour organisation of the colany, and urges that no compromise b« accepted which fails to acknowledge the equal rights of the two interests." *' That this meeting express*! its indignation at the unworthy tac ies adopted by Messrs Whitcnnabe and Tombs in dealing with labour interests, and pledges itse'f to resist sweating in whatever form it may b* practised, whether by the firm in question or by others." (8) Thst this menting heartily approves of and endorses the action of the Maritime Council in dealing with the present struggle, and pledges itself to f- How the Council in any further steps it may take, supporting it to the fullest extent mova ly and financially." (4) " Tint this' meet ing affirms the necessity of a com' pete unity of all classes of labour in the colony under one executive, as bustg«sted by the Maritime Council ; also, that & general defene° fund for the whole colony be established in connection therewith." (5) •' That this meeting endorses thn necessity of the Labour Bills now before Parliament, and call upon the members in Parliament assembled to vote in their favour." The Bailway Servant held a meet* ing the same night when the following telegrams that had been received were read : — "Mr London, Secretary Rai'way Union, Peto a — Ex«cutive decide • assist and act under Maritime Coun* oil re Whitcombe and Tomba. Pre* pare for extreme npasures, if required. Test case, capital versus Unionism.— W. J. Edwards, Cliriut* church. " " Mr D. Skinner, Manawatu Rtil way Station, Wellington. — Thanks for support. Greatestest question. Unionism sinks or ewima. — W. J. Edwards. Chrietehurcb, 6th August " After disoussion it was resolved — " That this branch express their entire eonndenee in the Executive, and pledges itself to take action as directed by the Exeoutive." At Chriitchurch the same resolu fcions as those p'ssed at the Union Meeting, in Wellineton were adopted. In consequence of Wh'tcimbe and romba baring opened up ■oimniuii* ration with the Maritime Council in rpjjard to a^bitratio'i the labour aarty has withdrawn the pickets Bdiich were watching their estab'iih* nent.

that we have been greatly misrepresented by the other side, several of our statements having been so grossly distorted and twisted the public will soaicely be able to judge fairly of the points at issue. We deny that we have, or ever had, any dispute witb our men or the Typographical A'sooiation, consequently we have nothing to submit to arbitration. We never locked any men out of our workshops, but our men who wei-e members of the Association and working qni^e contentedly, gome of them for a namber of years, were withdrawn much against their will from our workshops by the Auoeia* tion. We have not refused to employ Unioa men ; on the contrary, we have since the withdrawal of our old hands given employment to severa 1 , but the Association have as constantly withdrawn them. The real grievance is our employment of half a dozen wom*n, and it will be ««fln that in the Bill now before the House, while we are to be allowed to keep those we have already en» gaged, no office can in the future employ any girl at type setting under the age of 18 ; this will virtually Xj close a trade to women which they < .' arc eminently qualified to take up as after 18 no girl wou d s^t her' atlf to lerni the business, and we maintain that when a girl has ac* quired ihe trade she would ba ahle, to earn a higher rate of wage at type-setting than any other busmen that is now open to. her ; but this trade the men apparently are at" tempting to refuse to allow them to *nter, as the Shop and Factory Bill now before the House hai, we believe, been approved of by vhe representatives of the Trades and I Labour Cou cil. We on y ask to be let alone, and allowed to run our factory on lines to suit our business. We have already stated that owing to the nature of our business it cannot be worked on lines laid dewn by the Union which tradesmen very well know. But we are quite willing to pay in in the future a« we have in the past, a fair day's work, be it to man, woman, girl, boy, and not less than the Union scale. Great stress hag been laid on Mr Whitcombe being the head and front of the offending, Hut we may say that he has been firmly supported throughout by his co-directors, wno are willing to bear the blame, if any, equally with him. We take this opportunity of thank' ; ng the nunnrouc sympathisers fro ra all puns of New Zealand who have so kinnly offered their timely support and assistance. — Yours, &c , Whitcombe and Tombs Limited.