LUMPERS' UNION. TO THE EDITOR.

Evening Post, Volume XXX, Issue 11, 13 July 1885, Page 3

LUMPERS' UNION. TO THE EDITOR.

Sir— As this shall be my last letter on this subject I shall endeavour to mako it as brief as possible, and I hope yon will excuse me for again troubling yon. In to-night's issue appears a manifesto, to whioh is appended a goodly array of names and high-sounding titles, proclaiming that they have not aooopted the rnles of the Federated Lumpers' Sooiety. We will take the Shaw, Savill Company first. To my certain knowladgo there has not been a non-Union man employed by that company this six months past, so that, to my way of thinking, they have accepted tho rules. I should like very much to hear what Captain Babot would say if he saw a non-Union man who had been Bet to ship oargo, and had to be shown the way to shorten a slinff. I think he would soon sing oat for an experienced man— that would, of course, be a Union man, because, as I said in my last letter, there are no experienced casual lumpers at present in this port who do not balong to the sooiety. Next comes Captain Williams, acting for the Union S.S. Company (our real opponents). Bluff, honest Captain Williams. I look forward to a new and better era of things now that he is at the direotion of affairs, as I consider him a good friend to the working man ; so that things may go a little better between ub and the Union S.S. Company than heretofore. Next on the roll of honour oomes tho Wanganui Stoam Paoket Company, and the Brnnner Coal Company also withhold their royal assent; bnt I do not think that the lumpers of Wellington will break their hearts over that, as I do not suppose the amount of money earned from the Wanganui Company in a year would make one good pay, while the Brunner Company has a permanent staff who do moßt of their work. In closing this letter I should like to say that we are asking nothing unreasonable or unjust. All trades and professions have their different modes of protecting themselves, some by a course of apprenticeship, some by premiums and other ways. I think it has beoome a recognised tiling that wherever a body of men are gathered together to proseonte a partioular oalling there must be some bond of unity for their mutual protection, and I would Bay to my brother lumpers, "Be true to yourselves," respeot your employers, make no unreasonable requests, and at the same time maintain your independence By doing this you will have the respeot of your fellow men, and the approval of your own oonsoience. I am, &c, Lumper. 11th Jnly.