AGAINST SOCIALISM

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXVII, Issue 8348, 7 February 1913, Page 10

AGAINST SOCIALISM

APPEAL TO EMPLOYERS FUND TO COMBAT INDIVIDUAL MOVEMENTS. The Employers’ Federation has issued the following memorandum, the purport of which is plain from the text, which runs thus: ■NEW ZEALAND EMPLOYEES' FEDERATION. ■“URGENT AND IMPERATIVE NEEDS. “MORE ORGANISATION. 'ESTABLISHMENT OF DEFENCE FUND. "TO COMBAT SOCIALISM, SYNDICALISM, AND ANARCHY. “That the future well-being of the Dominion and the interests of all who have a stake in thb country are sennasly threatened by the ever-increasing iggressiveness of the Labour parties cannot be denied. That unless employers and those whoso interests are m jeopardy [combine and organise to combat the fallacies of socialism and syndicalism it is manifest that in a short time our industries and our politics will be in the hands of irresponsible persons who will wage a class war. “Employers must cease from drifting, and organise more effectively. “At the last annual general meeting of the New Zealand Employers’ Federation it was unanimously decided to improve, extend,. and consolidate the organisation of employers. With a view to giving full effect to the above decision, the Advisory Board was instructed to appoint one ■ or two organisers and to use its best endeavours to increase the effectiveness of the work of the federation. To, this end the Advisory Board has decided to appoint Mf N. Moßobie, of Waihi, who is at present editor and part proprietor of the Waihi “Daily Telegraph" newspaper, as assistant secretary, and Mr R. A. Armstrong, of Auckland, as organiser. Mr Armstrong has already proved himself an organiser of no mean ability. In addition, it has been found absolutely necessary to have increased office assistance, and more suitable appliances and accommodation. “Besides the foregoing the Advisory Board hopes to be in a position to secure spaces in the daily newspapers, eay, once, a week, for the purposes of exposing the many fallacies enunciated by the Labour leaders, to publish reliable statistics and general information in the interests of the organisation, and particularly to deal with proposed legislative enactments. The Advisory Board estimates the annual cost of the proposals at about £2500, a very modest sum in comparison with the many thousands spent annually by the Labour parties. Then, in addition to the above, it is imperative that a defence fund should be established to meet contingencies as they arise, and which in the past have had to be met by personal canvass. Altogether, it will be seen that a sum of at least £SOOO per annum is necessary to inaugurate the forward movement, a sum that should be easily attained if employers realise the true position of things. “The Advisory Board, acting under instructions of the annual meeting of the federation, now calls upon large employers of labour to pay into this fund 2s 6d per annum for every hundred pounds of wages paid. .Professional men, merchants, sheepowners, farmers, property owners, etc., are appealed to for as liberal an annual subscription as the circumstances of the case demand. , “The Advisory Board has every confidence in appealing to those interested to support the movement as liberally as possible, believing that in so doing it is asking them to subscribe to an insurance fund- as necessary as those of life or fire insurance. “Kindly fill in the accompanying schedule and forward crossed cheque, P.O. order, or remittance to the Secretary, New Zealand Employers’ Federation, Woodward street, Wellington. An addressed envelope is enclosed for the purpose.” The document is signed by Mr W. Hopkirfc, president, and Mr T. Shailer Weston, vice-president, SCHEDULE. "The Secretary, - “New Zealand Employers’ Federation, “Woodward street, .Wellington. “Herewith ' please find enclosed a cheque for £ ; : , being 2s 6d for every £ICS of wages paid during the twelve months ended August 31st, 1912, os a subscription to the organising and defence funds of the New Zealand Employers’ Federation for the year ending August 31st, 1913, and in accordance with the resolution passed by tb© Federation at its last annual meeting. “Name "Address "Note.—Attention is directed to the fact that the above subscription is to be separate and apart from employers’ contributions to district employers’ associations, but that wages and salaries paid to foremen, departmental heads, and members of clerical staffs are not to bo included in the computation of wages paid. A FACT WORTH NOTING. “Every trades unionist pays annually into the funds of the Labour organisations not less than 6d per week, in addition to special levies, strike pay, etc., thus averaging from £1 10s to £2 per annum,’’