CLOSING DOWN THE MILLS.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 1545, 2 May 1916, Page 3

CLOSING DOWN THE MILLS.

(To the Editor.)

Sir.' —At a meeting of the Flaxmillers’ Assoeiation held in Palmerston N. on April 13th, “it was decided to close all mills at Easter,” the reason given for this decision being : That it was in the best interests of the industry to do so. This resolution was duly notified to the merchants, and they in turn have considered if only fair to influence all millers to fall into line. The thoughts naturally arise : (1) Is it in the best interests of the industry that all mills should close now? (2) If not, who were the' millers who passed this resolution, and why did they do so ? In my humble opinion, it is not in the best interests of tin* industry, nor of the community, that all the mills should close now. There may be a shortage of shipping space just at the present lime, but there is any amount of room available both here and in the Harbour Board sheds at Wellington. The wool, meat, and dairying season is practically over, and there will not only be more room in the storage sheds, but in the boats as well, from (his out. Anywav, it is not a fair thing to the community to throw hundreds of men out of work at any time and in such a troublesome time as the present, more consideration should have been given to the matter before deciding on. such drastic action. Further, the majority of these men will have to seek for other employment, with the result that, they will drift all over New Zealand, and very few millers will be able to get" a full team together when they want to start again, consequently milling will be hampered. Secondly : Who were the millers who passed this resolution i Were (hey not the ones who usually close every year at this time ? And they simply wished to stop the other fellow from milling because they could not, or would not, mill themselves. If not, why is it that there were many millers in this district who acre not invited to attend the meeting? 1 take it there were dozens of millers throughout New Zealand who knew nothing whatever about the meeting. I contend that every miller in the Dominion should have been circularised, so as to have given everyone a chance to be present or represented. If it is absolutely necessary that the mills should he closed down for a certain period, nil themillers would bo only too willing to agree to do so but it will suit some millers, much better to close in June and July, or July and August than in May and June. If it bad been arraimed- for half the mills to close now, and the other half later on, only half the men would have been thrown out of work, and consequently there would have been less labour trouble later on. Anyway, why should not those millers who do not wish to close down now, and were not invited to the other meeting, have a meeting and discuss matters ?—I am, etc., K. McMUKKAY.