Press Telegrams and Facts.

Manawatu Herald, 19 May 1903, Page 2

Press Telegrams and Facts.

The following are the telegrams from the Wellington Correspondent of The London Times alluded to in the Agent-General’s letter below : “ Alleged dissatisfaction with the New Zealand Arbitration Act.’. (“ Times ” Telegram) Wellington, February 27th. Dissatisfaction with the Arbitration Act is evidently increasing. At a meeting of Socialists and Trade Unionists here, a speaker strongly condemed its working. Unionist officials admitted the Act to be a failure, and stated that militant unionism had been killed by it. They would not recommend other coontries to adopt the Act.” Labour Troubles in New Zealand. (“ Times ” Telegram.) Wellington, March sth. All the Auckland cabinetmakers have been locked out in consequence of a decision of the Arbitration Oourf raising wages to fifteen pence an hour. The masters are determined to employ no cabinetmakers on those terms, and will import all the furniture required for their business. The firemen and seamen of the Union Liners left the shipping office in a body because the owners declined to dismiss one of the cooks The seamen returned later, but the firemen state that they are determined to strike. (“ Times ” Telegram.) Wellington, March 10th. Meetings of workers at various places have expressed sympathy with the lockod-out Auckland cabinetmakers. A Dunedin meeting urged the latter to start a co-opera-tive factory in competition with the employers, and promised financial

assistant. The head of the Labour Department has gone to Auckland to endeavour to settle the dispute. The firemen of the _ Union Liner Manapouri have persisted in their refusal to return to work, Other men have been secured. ;

(“ Times ” Telegram ) Wellington, March 13th. The head of the New Zealand Labour Department states that, after exhausting argument and eq> treaty, he has failed to bring about a settlement of the Auckland dispute ; the lock-out of the cabinetmakers continues.

The Government had definitely determined upon legislation granting preference to trade unionists. Wellington, March 17th. The development in the lock-out of Auckland cabinetmakers are causing unusual interest. The position is . regarded as the most important that has arisen since the Arbitration Act was passed, the action of the employers in this case and in that of the firemen of the Union steamship indicating that strikes and lock-outs are still possible. The Government h&s decided to prosecute the Auckland employers for breach of the award. Mr Seddon has expressed the opinion that the Government should find employment for the men who have been locked out. ,

■New Zealand Labour Disputes. (From our correspondent.) Wellington, March 20th. Several leading New Zealand newspapers, having be&n show# copies of the telegrams which I have sent to The •Times/ youob Spf stjeir accuracy and strongly deprecate the exaggerated contradictions of the Premier and the - Agent-General. The “ Wellington Post ” states that the Agent-GeneraTs example of alleged inaccuracy is unfortunate,, as the union representative in Monday’s deputation to the Premier Premier stated that there will be between 75' and 100 men locked out. It adds that the Union interested is more likely to know than the Agent-General MR REEVES EXPLAINS. New Zealand Labour Troubles TO THE EDITOR OP THE TIMES. Sm,—l cannot congratulate your Wellington Correspondent upOti his vincication of himself in your is|ue of Saturday. The position is now simple. Early this month your Correpondent telegraphed to you indicating that a strike of greater or less extent had broken Out among the firemen attached to the liners of the Union Shipping Company. I showed that this strike was . a trumpery squabble with one little knot of men,- an affair so ludricously petty as to be utterly unworthy of your attention. To .this matter your Correspondent discreetly makes no specific reference in his Saturday’s telegram. So much for that. On March sth he telegraphed explicitly stating that all the cabinet* makers in Auckland had been locked out. To this I replied that the number of hands in the trade referred to in Auckland was 366 that only 75 of them had been discharged and that of these ten had been taken back. What is. his answer to ibis ? To prove, me gtnlty of exaggeration he quotes a newspaper which quoted a of a New Zealand union leader predicting that from 75 to 100 men ‘‘ will be” locked out. In other words, your Correspondent proves htS * own serious exaggeration of the mouths of the allies whom he cites. The extract from the “ Wellington Evening Post ”as indeed a. veiry pretty example of the danger-of contradicting letters before you have seen them. It is perfectly evident that the “ Post ” was quite ignorant of the text of my letter to your columns which it denounces, --yet substantially bears out. As for several reapectable (Opposition?) editors who “strongly deprecate”my deplorable exaggeration, those gentlemen and I are very old friends. They thought it their business when I was in New Zealand politics to charge me with most of the crimes in the political calender, bub I can quite understand how it is shat they still regard their own intuitions a| quite sufficient evidence that whatever I may have written here is certain to be wrong. They should wait to see what I write before it ? What will become of the enterprising journalist if he may not intelligently anticipate that anything an enemy says will be oontraoy to fact ? I am, Sir, your obedient servant,

W. P. EiEKVBS- f f Westminster-chambers,. 13, Vic-toria-street, S.M, March 23rd.