TIMBER WORKERS’ UNION

Waikato Times, Volume 124, Issue 20729, 13 February 1939, Page 8

TIMBER WORKERS’ UNION

DENIAL OF STATEMENTS With reference to a letter which appeared in the Waikato Times on January 27 under the heading “Australian Timber Workers,” Mr F. Craig, secretary of the Auckland Timber Workers’ Union, disclaims any knowledge of the circumstances mentioned in the letter and says that he has never heard of or met the signatory to the letter, B. Handcock. The portion of the letter to which Mr Craig takes exception is that in which the writer said he ** applied to the union secretary for a job each year (at the Frankton box factory). ' He told me he was sorry but there was no work offering. But he can find work for these other men (Australians). Each year when a I started again at the factory the union representative was there to meet me for a 13s 6d advance fee and some for back fees for the time I was .out of work. One either had to pay it or be out of work. It was necessary to pay 12 months’ fees for nine months’ work, or some times less. If Mr Craig would look after his own members first I would thank him.” The other portion of the letter stated: “ It is interesting to note that Mr Criag, secretary to the Timber Workers 4 Union, is doing his best to find jobs for a number of unfortunate bush workers from Australia. We all feel very sorry for them; but don’t you think he should first find work for his own members? As a member for three years, working at the New Zealand Dairy Company’s box factory at Frankton, I was put oft each year as the orders from dairy factories were falling.” Since Mr Craig has never heard of or met. B. Handcock. he could not. be responsible for Mr Handcock’s alleged position, and the statement should not have been made in such terms.