UNIONISM AND THE WORKING CLASSES.

Auckland Star, Volume XXI, Issue 184, 6 August 1890, Page 2

UNIONISM AND THE WORKING CLASSES.

(To the Editor.)

Sir,—Will you kindly permit me through the columns of your paper to express my opinions re the above heading. " l)o unions in any way better the conditions of the working classes ?" I think, sir, the fact that they cannot possibly do so is so transparent that it can be seen through by any man of ''Ordinary intelligence ; because if the price of labour advances other commodities will advance in a proportionate d6gteo, depending on how they are affected by it. We have a very clear demonstration of thi* in the fact of the present advance in the price of bread and the charges made by the shipping companies and carriers for freight, fares and cartage. If Unionism affected capital or capitalists, then thero would no doubt bo some good done, but looking at matters as they now stand, it can only affect the worker himself ultimately, inasmuch as it will put money in the one pocket and take it out of the obher, and if, perchance, he should be thrown out of employment, make the conditions under which he has to live all the harder: It therefore cannot be any panacea for the ills from which we now are suffering. The cause, I think, will be found in something deeper than the mere question of wages. There are a class of men in the world who fully recognise the gullibility of humanity, and so make it their sole study as to which is the best way to play upon it. Unfortunately for us, we have a goodly number of this class in the colony, who see thab pandering ,to popular prejudices will allord them a good, fat, easy billet. If we could only shut our eyes and ears to this particular style of political demagogue, we would then stand a fair chance of putting things on a more sound and permanent basis.

The stand taken by Messrs Whitcombe and Tombs, Of Christchurch; ought to receive the hearty and practical support of all-employers of labour throughout the colony. It now therefore behoves every employer who possesses a manly, independent spirit, to try and crush out tho system of forcible extortion.

I hereby subscribe my name in full for the benefit of Unions.

Thomas S. Wallace,

Parnell, Auckland