Why not Unite?

Maoriland Worker, Volume 3, Issue 83, 11 October 1912, Page 7

Why not Unite?

Sir, —From time to time appear articles in the "Page" of an alleged Labor daily published in Wellington statint; that the United Labor Party have held out the hand of fellowship to the Federation of Labor, and we have repeatedly turned them down. I, as one, want to protect against that statement, and say it is absolutely contrary to fact. A little clique of Trades Union secretaries has done everything in its power to prevent the uniting of the two parties. The 1911 conference -)f Trades Councils, held at Christchurch, ordered a plebiscite' vote to be taken on the subject—and it wus never taken. Year after year this clique of paid secretaries has been in the majority on these conferences or has been sufficiently Sjtrpng to prevent any progressive measures being adopted; and now the rank and tile have practically shown these men that they do not represent the democracy of the Trades Union movement. We pannot unite with those who have proved themselves traitors to their class. If it had not been for the above little clique probably the Waihi and Reefton troubles would have been _ver and done with long ago. We cannot) unite. There are a few men in the United Labor Party that 1. for one, jyjll never be found on the same pl-it-ttfijn with. Mills of Milwaukee, Carey, Reardon, SiilHvan and Yf&\ih stand convicted of having done worse things in this strike than all the master-class put together. We are going to win, and when these people dare again stand for Parliament, we will flog them with the r ?7- "Remember Waihi!" —I am, etc,'' „• J- HOWARD. Christohurch.