CORRESPONDENCE

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXIX, Issue 1766, 18 December 1917, Page 3

CORRESPONDENCE

(To the Editor). Sir. —‘The world all knows that the present war was entered by the British Empire through Germany tearing up a scrap of paper. Now, sir, it is not only the Germans that can tear up scraps of paper. No, the flaxmillers of Foxton are also guilty of such tactics. On or about December 3rd, 1917, someone representing the ilaxmillers of the Manawatu signed an agreement with the representatives of the Union, stipulating a minimum wage of 14s per day of 8 hours, and the board at the cookhouse to be no more than 21s per man per week. Now, the millers of Foxton refuse to pay out. Why? “They say that having no cookhouses to keep, they do not see why they should pay the extra pay, Why aren’t the men of Foxton to benefit by the increase? Seeing that they are .most all married men, having rent to pay, children in most cases to keep, and if there is any increase in the cost of living they are the first to feel it. The millers say the men at the country mills have had their hoard raised. No, sir, not in all cases; in fact some of them have had a decrease. Why, if the millers of Foxton were not a party to the agreement did they send a delegate to meet the employees’ delegates? Again, what is the difference between a union official inciting members to strike and the millers, by refusing to pay the men the extra money, compelling the men to strike? If one gels three months’, what should the others get? If one body of workers had refused to stand by any agreement signed by the Union officials or delegates they would be called pro-Germans, I.W.W.’s, and other foul names. It is a wonder that a body of men like the Employers’ Federation would take such risks. They must know, as all the members of Parliament know, that the workers of New Zealand are discontented, and are only waiting for an election, and.it they are irritated by such actions as the above goodness only knows what may happen. In a few weeks the married men with one child will be called upon to go and fight because of that scrap of paper. Does it not seem funny that the country mills, where most of the men are single men, and rejects at that, get an increase, and the married ones, whose turn is coming to be called up, do not get any increase? How many millers are liable to be called up? I wonder what the millers would do if the men adopted the “go slow” policy, as a result. Well, perhaps things will be a bit brighter, looking by this time next weelc at least.—l apt etc.., ' ‘ ‘ WORKER.