Correspondence. Wairarapa Unionism.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume XI, Issue 3540, 19 June 1890, Page 2

Correspondence.

Wairarapa Unionism.

[EDITOR VfAIBABAPA DAILY] Sir, I liavo just had the pleasure of perusing your able' article of ; the l)ih ultimo, on Unionism in the Wairarapa, Undoubtedly the sincere thanks of the non-unionist community are due to you,for your earnest and unbiassed opinions on this subject, It is devloping to rather alarming proportions throughout New Zealand and as you now pertinently rjinark it has reached the Wairarapa, Your article is evidently an outspoken denunication of Union, ism in general, although it particularly rofei'3 to. the meeting of the Wellington aad Wairarapa Farriers, To do justice to your remarks I am afraid I should/be trespassing too much on your valuable space, tor I feel I would like to quote nearly all your article and make my own humble comments • thereon, but to resume, when a remunerative-occupation;like the farriers' uudoubtedly is, join themselves into a Union to demand excessive prices for their work, which I can clearly show are such, it is time people wakened up to the fact the inextricable web that is being woiked round them, To quote from your romarks, the first result is to secure from 20 to 80 per cent, extra for shoeing, Can they demonstrate to the publio that the enhanced price is necessary for them to make a fair profit? I think tho few subjoined figures will pretty dearly show they are not justified in the demands they make, viz, it was reported' the further price of shoeing was to be from 7s to 10s. Now for sake of illustration, I will give details of cost of shoeing a ■ hack, . Anyone, it does not- matter whether he-is a farrier or not, can buy a set of shoes and the necessary nails to fix them on for la 9d. An ordinary journeyman blacksmith will fix them on easily in an hour, whose wages are usually 9s per dieui, therefore tho . cost to the master farrier would bo—labour, Is ljd, material, shoes aud nails, Is 9d, coal, etc., 7£d—Bs 6d. These figures clearly show that there is a-nett profit of 100 per cent, to the master, It is therefore not to be wondered at that a correspondent in your contemporary of the 9th ult, asks the question what is tho meaning of it all. When the farriers from the North lionise those from the South and treat them to a feast that would do. credit- to our Merchant Princes or Wool Kings, what would he think of the looal blacksmith of our infant town giving a. free spread to the resients after he had beeu in business about two years? They must liave a very just cause for boycotting those who are trying to make a fair living and thereby trying to do justice to an equestrian public and to themselves. But to quote your article again, lone; before the 12 monthis has expired they, will find they have for once made a mistake. I am &c, ; A Non-Unionist.