THE U.S.S. COMPANY.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVI, Issue 179, 28 January 1914, Page 6

THE U.S.S. COMPANY.

ITS PHILANTHROPIC MOTIVKS. Jsy Telegraph—Press Association. Auckland, Yesterday. Sir James Mills, interviewed on his way to Sydney and England, said the strike and smallpox epidemic had caused an enormous shrinkage in the passenger traffic between the Dominion, Australia, and the l'acilic. Islands.

Replying to criticism of the Union Company, respecting matters preceding the strike and the statement that the company had entered into an agreement with the Federation of Labor and that the company did not seriously oppose tho demands by the employees, >Sir James .Mills said thai when demands were made by the employees the com pany had to consider not only the company's own interests but those, of the public as well as the ijm.uion of fairness ■to employees. In the recent dispute the issue was not a question of wages. Public sympathy was with the company to a large extent. The strike had been caused by the company resisting the demands lor increased wages. The very people who blamed the company for making concessions without a fijht would be the first to accuse the company of selfishness and disregard of the interests of tlij: public. No doubt the company very often temporised to avoid a strike, not for fear of jeopardising it> own interests, hut because a strike would cause loss to others.

As to "passing it on," Sir .Tames Mills said, speaking from memory, that the company had made only one increase in the charges, which was two years ago, when not half was passed on to the public. Since then many increase., li.ii' been forced upon the company for «.l ditional manning and higher wages, and the company had put up with less el : eicnt service from its employees, but tin burden of all these the company had ti bear. Tie hardly liked to say what tin late strike had cost the company. Tt li:v. been very considerable, but so far tit: company had not passed it on.