The Waikato Times AND THAMES VALLEY GAZETTE. Equal and excat Justice to all men, Of whatsoever state or persuasion, religious or political SATURDAY, JAN. 6, 1891.

Waikato Times, Volume XXXVI, Issue 2882, 3 January 1891, Page 2

The Waikato Times AND THAMES VALLEY GAZETTE. Equal and excat Justice to all men, Of whatsoever state or persuasion, religious or political SATURDAY, JAN. 6, 1891.

Tin: cablegram from Melbourne to the effect that the lumpers had again struck with the object of ousting free, labour from the ships and wharves will cause surprise and disappointment to most men. Those who have watched the course of the struggle, however, will not be so at. the fact, but at the early date at which it, has become one. it might have been anticipated that the crushing defeat which the Lnions suffered so recently would have kept them non-aggressive for so time to come. They have apparently recognised the fact, that a general strike, of all the Unions can only result in defeat, and are nowadopting the policy of attacking employers in detail with the object of forcing free labour into their ranks. Both sides are aware that this is the object of the Unionists, and they themselves admit that they have nothing to complain of as regards wages or terms of service. They were beaten in the last struggle because employers were able to readily secure a sufficiency of labour outside the Unions, combined with the determination exhibited by the Governments to put down intimidation, in other words, to protect all in the exercise of their undoubted rights to work for any person or any terms which they chose to agree upon. It is impossible to be blind to the facts that it is only a question of time when there will be a greater struggle than has yet been seen between employers of labour and those they employ. The stand which the former iiave taken throughout the British Empire is that they will employ any men they please regardless entirely of their belonging to a Union or not. This will be the basis of the struggle.

The papers by the last mail from England sketch the preparations which each side connected with shipping is taking ; the employers to secure entire control of their own businesses, and the employed to secure to themselves the positions of being able to dictate as to the terms on which they shall lie allowed to deal with their own property. The Unionists propose a federation of all the Unions which shall either directly or indirectly contribute to the prosecution of tho shipping industry. It is calculated that three millions of workmen will be embraced in this federation, and that by a small levy per man suflieieui funcis will accumulate to enable successful resistance to any action tho shipowners may take to free themselves from the intolerable thraldom in which they arc held at the present time.

The owners on the other hand are federating and establishing a council U> which all promise obedience. One of (he powers delegated to this council appears to be the simultaneous laying up of all vessels if they should deem such a course necessary to crush the power and exhaust the funds of the Unionists. They fully recognise the responsibility which rests upon them, and would only resort to this extreme measure as a last resource, fn the meantime they are doing all iu their power to establish registries of free labour, and it will not be till suilioient men are not procurable by this means that they will make themselves responsible for putting a stop for even a short time, to the trade of the country. They are unanimously determined that employers shall have the undisputed right to engage any men they may think fit. Those who have banded themselves together on the other side are equally determined that any man who will not become ono of them shall starve if they can make him. The owners of vessels at this end of the world who belong to the federation would, of course, lay them up immediately on receipt of instructions, in order that the Unions should not be in a position to render financial assistance. For this reason we cannot contemplate the pending struggle without serious anxiety.

IE tlii; uu.iii were equitably demanding more wages and better terms of service, they would have the sympathy of their fellow subjects, but there is no pretence that this is the case. Their undisguised object is that the Unions shall boss the position, and their members be the only men entitled to earn a living. What makes their claims still more inequitable is that they demand high entrance fees and, in addition, the right to exclude by means of the ballot any man who may apply, after they may be of opinion that there are enough enjoying the privileges they claim if their regular employment is not to be endangered.

The above is a matter which those whose thoughts seldom dive beyond the surface may think of little importance to a farming popu lation, but it is impossible to diseonncet '.lie interests of one industrial class in the community from tliu.ii: of others, and there can be no question but that the stoppage of regular couunuuication with the outside world would muiir the tannin", eouihuutii \ in an equal extent to that ot anv Trades I .'monism has. in the past, undoubtedly been «.)' g;\>:11 benefit to I in. v,orl.i'i ri . i: has improved ili-'ir 111» sfI ii'll, Uilli as regards iviiiuiteraiion and hours of labour. If. gained its ends mainly by enlisting public opinion on its side. It matters not what the class effected or wliat the abuse, if its existence is established to the satis faction of the public, the day is not far distant when it will be remedied. Old Unionism gained its ends by this means. New Unionism which mcAns on utter disregard for the

interests of any class but its own is of necessity unpopular, if not looked upon as an abomination to be swept awav. The late strikers at this end of the world eared not for the ruin they brought upon individuals or eoinnininities, they were in consequence universally condemned and some of their own number were ashamed of their proceedings and have since seceded from their ranks. If Unionism as now displayed could be by the utmost .stretch of the imagination field to be of benefit to mankind in general or even to those belonging to it, there would be some excuse for existence. 15ut this is impossible, its motive power is selfishness displayed at the expense of others. "We will live no matter who dies,'' would be a good motto for the federated Unions.