PETONE GASWORKS TROUBLE

Dominion, Volume 14, Issue 246, 12 July 1921, Page 3

PETONE GASWORKS TROUBLE

LABOUR TUDRESSES. There were about a hundred and fifty persons present at the Grand Theatre, Petone, on Sunday afternoon, when Mr. J. Thorn, editor of the “Maoriland Worker.” and Mr. L. Glover, secretary of the Wellington Gas Workers’ Union, delivered addresses, apropos of tho trouble at the Petone gas works. The dispute would not have arisen. Mr.Thorne contended, had the members of the Borough Council not been a group of reactionaries and haters of a Labour cause. 'Che Borough Council had deliberately attacked the elementary rights of trade unionism, and had put itself up against the whole movement from tho North. Cape to tho Bluff. Not only did they refuse to consult with their employees, but also re--fused to hear representatives of a union embodying a membership of about, fifty thousand —a union, that was, that represented a very substantial portion of public opinion in tho country. To his mind the council had been absolutely determined not to recognise the trade union movement. Collective bargaining was tho very first consideration a trade, union sought to establish, and arose from the act of men uniting with one another. “When vour council attacks collective bargaining.” he said, “and locks out tho men in its employ, it is, in effect, taking us back to conditions of a hundred years ago, -s they existed prior to the realisation of the trade union movement It appeared to the speaker that it was the council’s intention to put a genuine union out of operation altogether, and register a bogus one. Tho council was now consulting with its loyal workers — not the genuine union—of the Labour Department, with the object of establishing a bogus union, and approaching the Arbitration Court for an award. He felt certain that the qualifications for registration as set, out in the letter of the Secretary of tho Labour Department to the Borough Council would no taken in tho nature of a broad hint as to the way in which the council might proceed, and that a bogus union would bo under way before they were much older. Tho council had departed from tho spirit of the age. and the, speaker characterised them as being “a gang of reactionaries who should be booted out, lock, stock, and barrel.” (Applause.) Mr. Glover advised the workers to keep in mind that tho gas works had been declared black, and must remain so until organised Labour decided to raise the embargo. To give the electors tho oppor. t.unity of ascertaining whether they, believed in tho present system, he would suggest that both Mr. M/Ewan and Mr. Anderson resign and contest the Mayoralty of the town. The meeting unanimously passed a vote of no-confldenoe in the council. A collection was taken up for the purpose of defraying expenses. In the evening Messrs. R. Semple and P. C. Webb delivered addresses on "Industrial Co-operation.” ' On the motion of the Mayor of Petono, Mr. J. W. M'Ewan. seconded by Mr. Edwards, a vote of thanks and appreciation was accorded the speakers.