THE DEVONPORT FERRY COMPANY.

Auckland Star, Volume XXI, Issue 184, 6 August 1890, Page 5

THE DEVONPORT FERRY COMPANY.

(To the Editor.)

Sir,—Permit space for a word in reply to the remarks which appeared in Monday's Stab re Devonport Ferry Company. The statement is prefaced by a rumour bhab aix men had received notice of dismissal in consequence of joining an association bhab ia being formed. The directors deny the sofb impeachmenb, and aay that for pecuniary reasons they have resolved to lay up one of their steamers. Let ua see how far this harmonises with the facts of the case. " Our employees," said Mr A. A. and one of the managing directors (he mighb as well have said E. W. A. ab once, for we know quite well to whom he refers), "invited the directors to a meeting last week—(l venbure to deny that such waa the case}—and told us they had decided not to bake any interest in the welfare of the Company." Tl-fa" _lattf__en§' *" was never made, yet they want the public to Bwallow it ab random, without seasoning. "But tbey said they intend to look after their own interests, and look after themselves as well as possible." la this a crime ? Do we nob all bry bo do thab ? Does nob E.W.A. take particular care to do thia ? They try to tell us that their employees were treated aa one of themselves. Query. Let them speak, and let tbe public hear their own opinion, which I bave no doubt they will do ere long. No; the ball ia open and the men breathe freely. Patters againsb other employers, eh? To whom does he refer? Surely all other employers feel flattered. Here, too, he pauperises tho men by saying that the Devonport Ferry Company have kept on their men at a loss in past winters out of the abundance of their charity. How consoling to the men and the public to Bee that we have such philanthropic men of such a high moral standard amongst ua I I regret thab we have nob a few more such, and I regreb further that such noble hearta should be chilled and turned in a day to bitter hatred, and bo tar dospise the object of their charity aa bo howl the hateful word of " Back " ao frequently in their ears; One steamer laid up, they aay. Then why need they sack four captains and bwo engineera ? I fail bo see so much bhe need of retrenchment while their present large staff of officers and their present rabe of salary are maintained, viz., bwo Alisons, traffic manager, two assistants, and assisbanb or under-secrebary. Ib looks like rebrenchmenb, and all bhia bo work bwo boats, or ab mosb bhree. And the spring time coming; why did they nob curbail before now? "But now, seeing the attitude they have taken up, we intend to be public philanthropists no longer." What attitude . Does nob thab ababement, togebher wibh the positive facb tbab the men wero constantly harassed and whipped into fear and trembling by bhe words, "If you join bhab Union, I will sack you insbantly," together with fche statement, "I will put my foot on bhe thing and burab up bhe Union," and " I will nob have any Union man in my employ/ disprove itself ? What attitude, I Bay ? There has been nothing done or said by the men of or about tho Union._ No rules even are quoted, nor any attitude taken or suggested as yet. Then the action of joining an association is a private one, as far as concerns any company, and I maintain that no company haa a right to intimidate an employee with the word " sack " because of so joining. They may aa well aay they shall not go to a ball or society. The men'a action ao far'is entirely a private one, one with which employers have no right to interfere, and when wehave such bull-headed peoplesteering the bark of capital can we wonder at Btrikes and labour difficulties cropping up everywhere? I would warn capitalists and others to whom they entrust their affairs. There is, indeed, no need for this warfare—Capital v. Labour. We do not court it, bub when bhe gauntleb is thrown down by a few men, invested with a bit of bemporary power.can ib be wondered bhab we bake it up, and remain no longer the recipients of their 80-called charity? They say " How. fair w© were in the matter; we had no feeling in the matter. True, no feeling, but I query the fairness of a ballot thab was nob public to the employees concerned. Strange coincidence thab the pack should fall on their oldesb, their besb and time-honoured servants. A queer way bo reward merit of servitude. I know of no precedent. They might have consulted the men's opinion ere they went to the ballot. I for one, wero lan employee, should have thought bhat the junior men should go first, unleßS ibwasa case of misconduct. *~ "The fact bhab they joined the Masters' and Engineers' Association did not affect us at all; there was nothing unfair about the matter." Thia I think may be easily diaproved,for the dismissal i- undoubtedly a challenge bo bhe youßg,AesQWrtion to see wbat -hex can oo»

They say bheir masters and engineers aro the besb paid of any in Auckland home service. I doubt tbab, and so will many employers I think, and "we are surprised bo Bee them turning round on us." Turning round indeed? what does this imply, but thab bheir action taken is purely an action of spleen, or a literal carrying out of bheir former well-known threat ? Five men given notice and ono peremptorily sacked lasb Monday week makes six. How kind that they should condescend to take them into their employ. Ib has become known thab men from outside bhe Company, even as far off as the Kaipara district and some more immediately around, have been offered berths if they did not belong to the Masters and Engineers' Association. How does this harmonise with sacking men on accounb of pecuniary affairs? Now Ido nob wish to be drawn into any lengbhy discussion through the press, bub I want the public to know that the other side haa a word to say, and grievances to remedy, and thab is my reason for writing ab some length now. For I have other business to attend to besides confuting such rank bosh aB Mr A. tries to impose upon bhe public ; and also besides being a secretary forming societies. —lam, etc.,

Capt. F. J. Pbyok, Masters' and Engineers' H. and R.S. Association.