THE UNMENTIONABLE SCAB.

Maoriland Worker, Volume 3, Issue 53, 15 March 1912, Page 14

THE UNMENTIONABLE SCAB.

Sir,—Whilst realising that wo have a long way to go in New Zealand, I at least thought we were past tho stage of tho blackleg and scab. 1 am told by those who have been in Great lkitain that tho scab has a bad time of it there, and in America an<l on tho Continent too; but recent events seem to prove that we Now Zcalanders will not only tolorate but wink at tho rotten practice of scabbing.

During the recent meat-workers' strike this blacklcgging was carried on wholesale, not only by heads of cltv-pa-rtmont-s and dorks, etc., but by electricians, engineers, fitters, turners, and others, and it is generally understood that these scabs took it on without protest of any sort. Some of these men, it is said, belonged to other unions, and it would bo interesting to hear what their fellow unionists in tho Electricians' and Engineers' Societies think of it. What do they think of the spectacle of tho electricians shovelling up the offal and tho engineers not only cleaning up. the muck, but, as was the case at the Gear Co., Petone, carrying on production in the shapo of baling up wool, etc.? What do their societies think of that?

It would also be interesting to hear what Mr. lleardon has to say about the matter. We have not heard of him discountenancing the scabbing, and he 6urely must have known. Did he, like some others, think it right, for it is generally understood that tho pullers at least, through their delegate, gave their sanction to this scabbing? I suppose tho only way to teach some folk is to pinch them, and I can prophesy a very rotten time for all the lot of us as soon as tho bosses have us bound for tlireo years. They have started victimising already.—Yours, etc, ' ! ' Petone. ■ W.B.