CORRESPONDENCE.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLVIII, Issue 3649, 9 June 1927, Page 2

CORRESPONDENCE.

(To the Editor)

Sir, —Mr. Martin misses the point in saying there is no law man-made that a man shall not work. The trouble is there is none that says“a man may work.” Unionism has helped to assure a living wage. Your correspondent is a well known strikebreaker and has never done one thing to help better the condition of workers. The award, or law, which ever way you like to look at it, demands the payment of lti/- per ton sideleaf cutting; punting rale at Eoxton is 5/- per ton and training of the fiax concerned could not he done-under 3/- per toil. The offer made to the men .was 22/- landed at Eoxton which, in other ' words, meant cutting at 14/-. The standard of living set by the workers is low enough at Hi/- per ton, and the mistaken notion that workers can live on less - in winter time is an erroneous one. —Yours truly, C. P. GREY, Shannon. (To The Editor). Sir, —Having been requested to state publicly by what means and methods I would replace the present system of settling disputes, as regards the fiax industry, I take this further opportunity of doing so. In the first place I oppose the present system under the Arbitration Court for the very reason that, with all due respect to the Court, it is not so constituted as to be able to deal fairly with the flax industry or, for that matter, with any other industry, as those employed in any particular industry should be able, along with representation of the employers, to deal with all questions arising in that particular industry which would have the effect of doing away with a court that costs this country in the region of three thousand pounds per annum, as well as taking a further burden off the workers by way of fees paid officials and all the incidental expenses that take toll of the toilers’ wages. As far as the industrial side is concerned locally, I cannot see what is to prevent a better understanding between master and man than the elimination of useless officialdom as obtains at present. What I maintain is that those in the industry should he the ones to arbitrate; that an equal number of employees and employers should be elected by each side, a minimum wage fixed, and any rise in fibre should also be followed by a corresponding increase in wages, any fall in price should be accompanied by a similar corresponding fall in wages, but on no account must wages be lower than the agreed minimum. Let us take the difference between Foxton conditions and the conditions prevailing in the Shannon district. Both districts are under the same award, yet while in Shannon the millers nearly..!!* all own their own swamps, free of royalty, and are not nearly so niuch_»_ handicapped by Hoods, they are, therefore, in the position to keep their men employed for longer periods by being free to obtain their leaf at their own discretion, which means that men employed in the Shannon district are receiving more in wages per week, not having so much broken time to contend with by way of Hoods and winter stoppages as the Foxton district has to contend with. Neither have the millers of the Shannon district to contend with the same handicap as well as the iniquitous sliding scale per ton for green leaf which, if there must be one, should be on the finished article, for how many tons of swamp rubbish does a miller pay for during the year? as a ease in point, but there are many more I can quote. Back to the main topic: The proper adjustment of all things as pertaining to the industry locally can he dealt with locally. Why should the man or miller be bound for a term of years under an award made by a Court outside of any industry '! It only needs a little reasoning and common sense on the part of both parties, when by it such cases as oceured recently, when the men were willing to work, and the employers willing to rim the stripper to mutual satisfaction was brought to naught, simply because the men concerned lacked, the backbone to take. the initiative and maintain the right to work. Why be dictated to by any Union secretary as-in this case? Had they beeff'able to take the initiative there would have been about fifty less men out of work and their dependants not forced to have to have a lean time for months, especially in winter. Do the men want a lead to carry out the right as I have outlined?. Maybe they will have the opportunity in the near future. They can he their own Court without expense of dues and levies. Thanking you, Sir, E. ,G. MARTIN.