MINISTER AND DELEGATE.

Rangitikei Advocate and Manawatu Argus, Volume XXXIII, Issue 9121, 14 April 1908, Page 2

MINISTER AND DELEGATE.

MR PRITCHARD SNUBBED BY . MR MILLER. Mr Pritchard, one of the.travelling reprecutativos of the Blackball Miners, writes to <L the New Zealand Times, of Monday, to bring before the public one of the grossest injustices which has ever been, or possibly could be, perpetrated ou a wording community, and which conclusively proves tire iniquity of allowing even a Minister of the Crown too much latitude. Having finished 'his tour in the South Island, Mr Pritchard asked for instructions from his Union, and was toll to go where he liked and do what he chose. Ha therefore decided to call ou the.Miniater of Labor, whom he had previously referred to ina'speech as “an autocratic despot. ’ ’ The call was to be in a purely private capacity but Mr Miller did not value at its true worth the honor conferred on him, and refused to sea Mr Pritchard until he had apologised for“the remarks ho had. made. The Blackball miner was astounded and

as he says “left the building in a manner, which, I fear, did not disguise my contempt for Ministerial autocracS’. ” We conclude that Mr Pritchard slammed the door. But we must let him speak for himself. “What is the real significance of this act of Mr Millar’s? It is this —that if a member of any union dares to suhjcet tho Minister of Labour to adverse’puhlic criticism, and if that member is placed in a position similar to my own, and is desirous of executing his operations without attracting the public gaze on him, he is going to be defeated, and his union snubbed, because he dared to speak what he thought was truth, and dared to adversely criticise Ministerial conduct.

Evidently truth cuts deeper than the sword.

To the workers of Ne\Y Zealand and eelswhere, I again reiterate what I havegsaid from every platform I have spoken from during the present dispute:— Trade unionists, adopt the caucus system in your unions, and turn your industrial organisations into political organisations for the purpose of capturing the political machinery, for then, not till then, will you obtain direct representatives in the House of Parliament, and secure for yourselves what is duo to you, namely the results of his labour to the labourer. ’ ’