WELLINGTON TYPOGRAPHICAL UNION.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 106, 28 January 1908, Page 4

WELLINGTON TYPOGRAPHICAL UNION.

Sir, —It is to bo deplored that your correspondent, "A. D. Robbie," should consider my letter on tho above subject a .personal attack on him. Such Was not. my'intention, as it was'tho way in which certain tilings were done by a cliquo that decided Hie. to throw a little publicity on the affairs of the Union through tho medium of your, journal. ' Further, I' mentioned no names'in my lotter, and am more than over satisfied that my protest against the wasto of tho Union's funds was well founded, as 1 hear that tho trustees of tho Union liavo not yot, sanctioned tho paymont in question.' . ' Your correspondent furthor says my letter contained " grossly inaccurate statements," but it is his letter which contains them. Krory statement I made was -true, and this has lieen admitted on all hands. I again assort that he stated at tho annual meeting that there was only about £100 of the Union's funds that was not ear-marked;.so, it" that statement of .tho Union's .financial position is incorrect,' the 'fault* lies- at tho door of tho man who inade it, and, not at my door for quoting it. How your correspondent'can mako out that ho was "considerably out of pocket " over 'conducting the case for the Union in the Arbitration Court; for which ho received los. per day and all expenses, is a mystery, not only to me, but to tiro Society iu general. If ( ho had stayed at his work iu Wellington instead of attending tho Arbitration Court proceedings, ho would have earned the ordinary wage of £3 weekly; wherAas,' we'know that ho was remunerated at tho rate of £4 10s. per week and 'all expenses in addition, for attending tho Arbitration Court. How ho could bo "considerably out of ! pocket" in such'a oaso is a problem that.l give up. The other Union advocate got the samo 'remuneration, so your correspondent did not receivo tho " lowest remuneration.". Again, tho past yflar of tho Union has not been " admittedly tho most successful in forty-sis years"; as a matter of' fact, the exponditiiro for tho past year has been the heaviest known in the history of the Union, and consequently tho credit-balance has been considerably lower, notwithstanding tho increase of Your correspondent says the policy of .the Union has been to avoid public discussion as much as possible." Quite so, and to put- an end to Star Chamber mpthods of this description I very properly, entered my protest iu your columns, tho rcceptiou of which by tho fair-minded members of tho Union has been particularly gratifying to me. A reformer has a lot to put up with, but the Typographical Union is in urgent need of several reforms, and only publicity will bring these about. . AVith regard to my anonymity, I must adhere to it, as tho publication of my name would he prejudicial to nfo in many ways. \our correspondent is, apparently, more hiippily situated than I am, and I 'envv him In that respect. Ido not intend to stab in tho dark, or make personal attacks through your columns, and I am confident that were such attempts inado you would very quickly know how to treat them. So, thanking you in anticipation—l am, etc., TWEEZERS. Wellington, January 25, 1008.