PREFERENCE TO UNIONISTS.

Rangitikei Advocate and Manawatu Argus, Volume XXXIV, Issue 9433, 1 May 1909, Page 5

PREFERENCE TO UNIONISTS.

AN AMUSING LETTER. Considerable amusement was caused in the Commonwealth Arbitration Court last week during the hearing of the woodworkers’ case by the reading of a letter from a Tasmanian exnplojer. “Sir, —My first impulse on the receipt of the ridiculous and impudent notice forwarded by your clique of wastrel agitators was to throw it behind the fire; bat after a little amused reflection I decided to so far honour you as to make the following reply I employ oa an average about 87 hands; some good and some indifferent workers. 1 pay each man what I think ho is worth. When any of them are dissatisfied with me they tell me so and look for employment elsewhere. Whenever I am dissatisfied with any of them 1 tell them so, and they must either show an improvement, or find another job. 1 have found this plan work very well, and I am so well pleased with£the opinion I have of my ability to manage ray own business that 1 absolutely refuse to be dictated to by a set of howling wasters from the other States. If your representative shows his face on my premises I can promise him all the agitation he wants. Hitherto I have been perfectly indifferent as to whether my men belonged to a union or not: but after your preposterous demand for preference, I think it is time to show the preference yon write about. For the future I shall make it my business to inquire when men apply to me for employment, and will give the preference in every case to free labourers. Shabby unionists can go to the devil, and have all the picnics they want. If yon are particularly anxious to know my scale 'of wages, just keep on thinking long enough and hard enough, and perhaps the information will be vouchsafed to you.-Benj. D. Fenton, Florestria, Tasmania.”