SIR JAMES MILLS'S STATEMENT.

Press, Volume XLIX, Issue 14821, 12 November 1913, Page 10

SIR JAMES MILLS'S STATEMENT.

FEDERATION OF LABOUR COURTING DEFEAT.

(BTBCIXL TO "THE KtES3."> DUNEDIN, November 11. Sir James Mills returned from Christchurch last night and granted an interview this morning to a newspaper representative. Referring to the general position, he said that the manifesto issued by the Wellington Defence Committee contained a correct and satisfactory statement of the position, and of tho line the employers intended to follow. Tho dispute was not now one between the waterside workers and the shipping companies, but between the whole of the producers of the Dominion and tho Federation of Labour, v and tho latter were beginning to find that tho interests of the transport companies and the producers were so closely bound together that in attacking one they attacked tho lot. With the whole country arrayed against tho Federation, they are only courting defeat. Sir James proceeded to pay a warm tribute to the officers and engineers of tho U.S.S. Company. "As far as the Union Company are concerned,", he said, "the feature of tho present crisis has been the loyal manner in which the officers and engineers have stood by us, placing their services unreservedly at* our disposal. This has mado it possible to resume the interrupted ferry service. The Pateena left Wellington last night, manned largely by officers and engineers, and it is expected that the Mapourika will get away to-night, manned in the same way. Only the unswerving loyalty of our officers and engineers has jnade this practicable." Sir James Mills explained that these smaller boats- replaced the usual ferry steamers because they required a smaller, complement. In conclusion, referring to tho statement that tho seamen and firemen were to give twentyfour hours , notice, he said that this was not of such importance as appeared, since practically all the company's vessels in New Zealand waters were already laid up and the crews paid off, while it was hoped to keep tho ferry service 'running without the seamen and firemen.

STRIKE COMMITTEE IN REPLY

"NO STRIKE IS EVER LOST.*'-

(PRESS.ASSOCIATION TELEGRAM.) WELLINGTON, November 11. In the course' of an official reply by tho Strike Committee to Sir James Mills, tho former, after traversing Sir James's statement, says:— "Sir James Mills may protest, but thoso who understand the significance.of the disputo know that it is well recognised amongst workers on the waterside that the majority of the employers have always treated the watersiders in a fair and reasonable manner. Wo contend that this trouble has been caused by tho Union Steam Ship Company and New Zealand Shipping, .Company in their endeavour to crush out a militant union. Their sucgess at Timaru has led them to think that if the same tactics are followed in Wellington they will result in tho formation and maintenance of a bogus Arbitration Union, which will bo ever ready to obey the behest and dictates of the officials of tho companies placed inside the ranks of the union. .

"Regarding these bogus unions, tho attitude taken up by. a largo number of the Arbitration unions of New Zealand, who have como to our. aid in tho dispute, goes to show the pftiblic clearly that the new union is a union in name only. It is really an abuse of tho term, and will do more harm than good to legitimate unionism. The effect will be to show that Arbitration unionism is simply another weapon to'aid the employers. Although Messrs Reardon, Carey, and others of that school have como to the assistance of the employers in the trouble, the rank and file are with ..us on all sides. We met individual members of unions who are convening meetings of their organisations with the expressed intention of not only assisting us in our fight, but also of cleansing their ranks of paid officials who have abused their positions and joined with the special* constables, 'scabs,' and bogus unionists, in an endeavour to stamp out the essential principle of unionism. Those men can do well left to their own members to deal with them as they deem fit.

"As far as this committee is concerned, it is determined to fight on. It well recognises that a striko is never lost. The '90 strike, although lost in the industrial field, proved victorious as far as the, progress of tho country was concerned. It resulted in tho wiping out of the unprogressivo hardshelled Tory Government, and in the gaining of the fuller and freer progress of the industrial democracy of New Zealand. The same may be said of the great strikes of Australia and elsewhere. ■

"Comparatively speaking, tho average worker has nothing to lose by a six months' holiday. The waterside worker has sat on the end of the wharf for months at a time at the behest of the employer, and he is well satisfied to wait a month or two longer in order to maintain tho right to organise in his own way."