"ALL IN GOOD HEART"

Press, Volume LXXVII, Issue 23316, 30 April 1941, Page 6

"ALL IN GOOD HEART"

♦ THE BRITISH PEOPLE ADDRESS BY TRADES UNION LEADER (P.S.S.) WELLINGTON, April 29. The British people, from the highest to the lowest in the land, were in good heart, and determined to endure until victory was won, declared Mr William Holmes, a past president of the British Trades Union Congress in addressing a meeting of'umionists in the Wellington Trades Hall to night. Great new factories were com- •“« raoidlv into production, Mi Holmes said. Britain would, soon reach parity with the enemy in «» air and get beyond that, too. president of the Wellington Trades Council (Mr F. P. Walsh) Aic-n on the platform were the Prime Minister (the Rt. Hon P. F ™s er) ’ tl Q Minister for Lsbour (tho , a Webb), the Minister lor National Service- (the Hon. R. Semple), the Minister for Public Works (the Hon. Armstrong), and the national president of the Federation of Labour (Mi general council of the Trades Union Congress, I bring you a message ot goodwill’from 5,000,000 British U-ade unionists,’ 1 said Mr Holmes., They have charged me to deliver to you their pledge of loyalty to the common cause which engages the total energies of the British Commonwealth of Nations. They have asked me to ten you that their assurance of victory is strengthened by the knowledge that you are with us in the struggle. We are confident of the issue. We are fighting for our birthright of freedom now without respite. By day and night we are all in the front line now.” , , Mr Holmes said that when he lett Britain night attacks had been continuous for six months. They had caused grievous loss of life and injury, and much destruction of property; but they had not in any way \yeakened the morale of the ordinary working folk. There were no Quislings among the trade unionists of England. The British people naturally were suffering some inconveniences and shortage of supplies. They were tightening their belts, because they were organising for the war, which they meant to win, no matter what sacrifices they had to make. Wage Increases in Britain The trade union leaders had not forgotten the needs of their members, and the interests of the workers had never been so carefully guarded as during the present crisis. Increases in wages totalling nearly £3,000,000 a week had been made. They made up, as far as possible, for the increase in the cost of living; but in some cases they represented a substantial improvement. The wages of agricultural workers had been increased on the ground that those who produced the munitions of life should be assured of at least as good a return for their services as those who produced the munitions of death. Nowhere had there been a compulsory extension of the working week, said JVIr Holmes, and the factory legislation restricting the hours of women and young persons was still in force. It could only be relaxed by permission of factory ii spectors, after consultation with the unions concerned and the Government. “It is true that in some cases our liberties have been curtailed,” said Mr Holmes: “but these have been imposed by the consent of the unions. In certain industries men cannot leave to take up work elsewhere without the consent of the Minister for Labour; but they have the right to appeal to a committee on which trade union representatives sit. “We thank you and all the people of New Zealand for the splendfd support you have already given the Comcause," Mr Holmes said. “AH sections 6f v the British people feel deeply grateful to you all.” The meeting carried unanimously a motio'n moved by Mr McLagan, and seconded by Mr R. McKeen, M.P., thanking Mr Holmes for the address, congratulating the people of Great Britain, particularly the working men and women, for the determination displayed in the titanic fight, and pledging the workers of the Dominion to do all within their power to assist in defeating the aggressor nations.