APPEAL TO CITIZENS.

Auckland Star, Volume 55, Issue 95, 22 April 1924, Page 7

APPEAL TO CITIZENS.

situation temporarily..

"THE tASH OF NECESSITY." ! SAYS MR. R. SEMITE. (By Telegraph.—Press Association.) DUNEDIX, this day. Mr. R.' Scrapie, who lias been appointed a strike organiser for Otago, in the course of a statement, said: — "Because I believe the railwaymen are rijrht in their demands for a living wage and in their protest against taking away the 44-hour, week, I think the Government made a grave mistake in not calling Parliament together and allowing the people's representatives to settle the question. It is a serious state of affairs and demonstrates once more the inability of the Prime Minister in dealing as a statesman, with, grievances which are just among the servants of the country, and so forcing them to the last resource. Civil servants have proved themselves a capable, trustworthy, conscientious and loyal. body of, workmen, and to drive fliem with the laeh of necessity to do the thing they don't want to do'is simply a crying, shame. As far as lam personally concerned : l vwill dojUI I can to assist them in their fight, but 1 hope that at this late hour the Parliamentary Labour party will demand that Parliament be called* together to settle these ■ grievances—which demand has been endorsed by. the. largest labour conference ever held in the Dominion, and that the grievances of the men will be settled in a reasonable and rational manner. lam convinced that the citizens of the country will not want to impose undue hardships on, Civil servants Tlie people themselves are desirous of being model employers.. The present crisis is the handiwork of the Government, who are representatives of wealth and privilege, and who care little for those who render useful service. In conclusion I would ask,the citizens of *ew Zealand not to allow their, mmdsja, be poisoned or their opinion to jbe prejudiced with fake propaganda being ducted by the Government, but judge these men according; .to the seme" they rendered in the W* *f t £c O Sr devotion to the service of the <=ountrj in -eneral. No honourable person wo.ujd rlH. : o to suggest that these men wanted trouble. It has been forced o* ithem, on all of us. The responsibility rests -non the Government and on no one