CORRESPONDENCE.

Manawatu Herald, Volume LI, Issue 4530, 13 November 1930, Page 2

CORRESPONDENCE.

(To the Editor)

'Sir, —lie the refusal of the secretary of the Flaxmill Employees’ Union to call a meeting of the Union as asked for by a large meeting of ttaxwojrkers for the purpose of enabling them to get to work and obtain the wherewithal to live and feed their families, yet this request, which 1 believe is legally provided for under the rules of the Union, is ignored by him on the grounds that the person authorised by that meeting is, he alleges, uufmaneial. Even so, (hat person was elected by the meeting to be minute secretary and lo convey the resolution to this sewrclary. Now, Sir, will this Union secretary deny that lie accepted the office of secretary three weeks ago at a meeting .called for the purpose of election of officers, on the votes of several uufmaneial members? Further, will he deny his duties as secretary is that of servant to (hose who passed that resolution? And will be deny that part of bis duties is to see that every member of the Union is financial? Failure to carry out the duties of office as prescribed by Hie rules of the Union, and as the seel'd ary is responsible for .each man’s dues, and goods standing on Hie books, there should be no unlinanciii 1 members. So instead of a cheap sneer, he should answer lor the unfortunate position the men 'find themselivos in in that respect. I will use his own words as published in a Palmerston paper, Hint the men are to be shorn by Hu* capitalist shearer, and add what more brutish method can Hie men he shorn under than when under the heel of a. Labour capitalist, and as a result starvation and want, the lack of the means, to live arc denied them. To those members of the Union in Foxton, 1 would remind them that the secretary is their servant, not their boss and any resolutions passed by them must be given effect to, tailing which they can make an appeal to the Registrar of Unions in Wellington, asking him to en-lon-e the rules being carried out. Also i would say to them: Stand sliouldifr to shoulder with those who are trying to end the brutal methods, that is now enforcing misery upon so many innocent ones, and also to see that lliey are not bluffed, when the erilieal time comes, and that is soon. It is not only the men who have lo suffer, hut its the public in general, and surely they can do their bit to back the men up. I still maintain that if each miller allowed his men to invest a small sum in Hie concern, and when overhead expenses are allowed for, mul the profits of their labours shared out on a basis to be arranged each fortnight, each indi\idual employee would receive his percentage, for by the fact of each having capital invested in the mill would eliminate the award that is nt present keeping the mills idle, and tree the men from any responsibility to a Union that is only forcing them to fall badk, upon charity, which by the way they were told to seek two years ago. Yours, etc., E. G. MARTIN.