The Temuka Leader. SATURDAY, MARCH 28, 1891. THE QUEENSLAND TROUBLE.

Temuka Leader, Issue 2181, 28 March 1891, Page 2

The Temuka Leader. SATURDAY, MARCH 28, 1891. THE QUEENSLAND TROUBLE.

Ik writing of unionism and strikes ' some months ago we frequently pointed out the foolishness of the employers in not coming to terms with the men. Time after time the men asked the employers to meet them, so as to confer together and try to settle their difficulties by peaceable means, but as frequently as they did so the employers refused to comply with their request. A conference, called by the Premier of the colony, was held in Wellington, and, though all Trades Unions sent delegates, the Hon. Q-eorge Maclean was the only representative of capital present, We have all along advocated peace and arbitration, because we thought, and still think, it is the only way to get over the difficulty, and we have also warned employers that in offering such resistance to the demands of the men they were running great risks. We did not then mention the dangers which we saw looming in the distance; we did not point out that it was possible that the men might resort to violent means, such as those adopted by the Queensland shearers at the present time. We thought that such things were possible, but we did not say what we thought, because we were afraid that we might do harm by doing so. Now, however, the shearers of Queensland are doing what we dreaded all along the labor troubles would lead to—that is, destruction of property, violence, and, perhaps, bloodshed —we can do no harm by referring to it. Herein lies the danger we have hitherto dreaded, and on this account we have condemned employers because of their unwillingness to meet their employes in a conference. We have been violently condemned in turn, and accused of truckling to the working men for political purposes. Those who have thus accused us have done us a great injustice. We have been actuated by a sense of fair-play, as well as a desire to settle peaceably what we regarded as a very dangerous dispute. Look at Queensland to-day. There thousands of men are*but in the mountains ready to burn and destroy property wholesale, and even declaring their determination to fight if driven to take extreme measures. And what is it all about ? Simply that unionists refuse to work with non-union labor, while the employers insist on employing free-laborers. That is all. '1 here , is no question of wages, no question of hours of labor, nothing whatever beyond the simple question of unionists working with free laborers. Now the employers have a perfect right to employ whomsoever they like, but the unionists have also the right to refuse to work if it does nob suit them to do so. The whole thing is, therefore, not a matter of right or wrong; it is merely a matter of discretion. Is it wise on the part of the unionists to refuse to work, is it wise on the part of the employers to resist the demands of the men ? We have all along held that the employers were foolish in the attitude they have taken up, Onr grounds for thinking so are that even if no violence is resorted to, great loss and waste must result from labor disputes, and that capital must suffer through it very seriously. The dullness of trade throughout this colony afc the present time is due in a large measure to the recent strikes. For these reasons we think the capitalists are mistaken in offering such unyielding resistance to the men. The capitalists have all to lose, and consequently ought to act conciliatory. But supposing violence should bo resorted to, and property and perhaps life destroyed, in addition to the loss and waste of strikes, what then ? A few unionists may be sent to gaol, but there they must be maintained out of public money—the

taxes paid by the capitalists. Thus after they have destroyed property, the propertied classes must still feed and clothe them as well as their wives and children. Property muse lose whoever may win. These are our reasons for advocating peaceable arbitration, and time will prove that we are right. But unfortunately we cannot get every one to look at the matter in this light, and consequently we have to put up with j misrepreseutatioo. '