The Temuka Leader. THURSDAY, AUGUST 7, 1890. THE COMPLETE BOYCOTT.

Temuka Leader, Issue 2082, 7 August 1890, Page 2

The Temuka Leader. THURSDAY, AUGUST 7, 1890. THE COMPLETE BOYCOTT.

Possiblt Messrs Whitcombe and Tombs think they are public benefactors in trying to break down trade organisations. < Possibly also the Christchurch merchants who are said to be assisting them think they are doing a grand thing. If, howeyer, through this miserable firm our railways are stopped and the shipping crippled they will find few sympathisers in the colony. The dispute has been going on for some six months, and every possible step has been taken to settle it. First the Typographical Society of Christchurch did their best to settle it; then the Maritime Council stepped in, but Messrs Whitcombe and Tombs assumed an arrogant tone, and refused to come to any terms whatsoever. The secretary «f the Maritime Council wrote letter after letter, but the replies he receifed were defiant and discourteous. After several months of this the Maritime Council called on those who were selling Messrs Whitcombe and Tombs’ goods to cease doing so. This order was pretty generally complied with. Messrs Whitcombe and Tombs then resolved to open branches everywhere, and that has driven the Council to extreme measures. Messrs Whitcombe and Tombs are printers, stationers, and lithographers in Christchurch, and employers of cheap labor. The first of the dispute was, so far as wo can remember, that they dismissed some of their hands because they joined a union. It is not fair to the other printing offices that this firm should be allowed to work by means of boy and girl labor. It places the offices which pay fair wages at a disadvantage, and no one who loves fair play will sympathise with Messrs Whitcombe and Tombs. Let it be remembered too that Whitcombe and Tombs is a Limited Liability Company that has always paid good dividends to its shareholders, and herein lies the secret. The shareholders consist of wealthy men in Christchurch, and they are combining together to break down trades-unionism, Present appearances, however, indicate that they will not b® able to do it. If the Railway men, the Lumpers Union, and the Seamen’s Union join together, there can be no doubt but that they will carry, the day. In the meantime, however, whan will happen ? Our railways stopped, our shipping lying idle, trade and commerce crippled, and the whole course of business disorganised. This is a bright prospect, and what is this all for ? So that Messrs Whitcombe and Tombs may pay one or two per cent, more to its shareholders. The London dock strikes resulted in a loss of £3,000,000; that sum would have satisfied the demands of the men for 35 years, and yet the employers would rather squander it uselessly than yield. Has labor done anything so spiteful, so arrogant, so unreasonable as that ? If this strike goes on the loss to Christchurch in one day will be more than all the profit Whitcombe and Tombs will make in a year. Is it not madness, therefore, to go to this extent ia order to support this grasping greedy company? We notice the Christchurch Press appeals to the trades-unionists to give in, but it does not ask Whitcombe and Tombs to do so. Why should they not meet the tradesunions half way ? The trades-unionists want ,to submit the dispute to Bishop Julius. Why ia not this done ? .If the claims of Whitcombe and Tombs were honest would they be afraid of submitting the case to Bishop Julius ? One thing is certain. The tradesunions have been very patient with Messrs Whitcombe and Tombs, they have tried every possible means to settle the dispute, and it is not their fault that it has gone so far.

UNIONISM XN TEMUKA

Ths meeting to form a Shearers’ and Laborers’ Union was a great euecess, and the Bjatter was taken up very enthusiastically. - Employers, it is said, do not like It, but we have no hesitation in saying that they need not be one wit afraid of it. Wowing men have too much sense to kill the goose that lays the golden eggs; they will not-do this, they will do, nothing to injure capital or hurt employers of labor. There are, of course, employers who treat their workmen well; then ' there are others who treat them badly. It may be that trades-unionism will .make bad employers of good ones, but it certainly will not hurt the good ones, or else it will kill itself, As an instance of bad employers we may point to a man who was in one situation for 16 years. His master, finding that he is getting too old to do the work, has discharged him. He occupied a hut on the estate, and after 16 years of faithful service, the master would not allow, him to remain in that hut until -he, found a place to suit him. Is that the ! way to reward faithful service ? That master is a member of the Legislative i Council. Now any man must admit that that master ought to be brought to a sense of his duty, and tradesunions alone can do it. For our part we have no fear of trades-unions. It is our opinion that the stronger they become the better, for then there will ha a less danger of strikes. At any rate they are getting stronger every day, and apparently they will continue to do so. This district could not

expect to escape, so we all may as well make the best of it and accept the inevitable with a good grace.