THE EMPLOYERS' ASS.

Maoriland Worker, Volume 2, Issue 39, 1 December 1911, Page 4

THE EMPLOYERS' ASS.

The Otago Employers' Association held its annual meeting and 25 persons were present. Four or five of these were guests. The speeches were long, but may be summed iyp in the word "piffle. , ' Beyond showing the fear already struck into the master class by the Federation of Labor and their terror of a general strike, coupled with the obvious determination to fight the working-class demands, there is nothing of any moment in. what was said. Yet the rich man's newspapers, Liberal and Conservatives alike, gave four columns of report. They all seemed to be agreed that they will not be able to bamboozle the Socialists. They are convinced we mean business. What they are about is to get the working-class, who are in and of the Labor Party, to join in fighting the Socialists on behalf of the rich man. They know when once the workers unite th-e reign of the rich is over. Mr. Fro stick, of Chris fcehurch, seems to think that all the trouble is caused "by a few revolutionaries" with, the "gift of speech." Surely at a meeting of 25 he noed not have referred to the question of numbers. What notice would the rich men take

of a meeting of 25 workers? Another of Mr. Frostick's genis vvae &' reference to "the men who would* rather talk a week than work for an hour." Was he meaning the Assembly, of parsons whose work it is to talk? But why should aii> employer say anything about not wanting to work? The? whole principle of becoming an employer is to give over working and get other, men to work for you. Mr. Frostick got there,, however, in one remark: "A-small number of men; with a lust for power and notoriety.'*It. would be difficult to find words' which would, better describe Mr. Frostick and his 24 employer friends. ■