THE CAPE FOULWIND LABOUR DIFFICULTY.

Evening Post, Volume XXXVII, Issue 110, 10 May 1889, Page 2

THE CAPE FOULWIND LABOUR DIFFICULTY.

For Borne roaßon or other the Westport News appears desirous of making mischief between the contractors and the labourers at Cape Foulwind. At least Buoh is the unmistakable tendency of a reoent article on tho dynamite outrage. The News Baya — " It is not pleasant to reflect that there may be a cause for such an outrage, and that poßsibly it may be followed by others. Take away the supposition that the act was that of a madman, or a man temporarily insane from the effects of drink, the conclusion must be obvious that there must be aome serious grievance to drive anyone to commit such a desperately criminal act. The dynamiting ia the effect of Borne real or fancied wrong, probably the former, and bearing in mind that the wrecked store was believed to be the property of the conrtactors, Messrs. Wilkie Bros, and Wilson, ono i 9 obliged to come to the conclusion that the trouble between them and a section, at all events, of the men iH by no means at an end." The injudicious character of romarks of this kind, even if trne, must be apparent to everyone, but we are glad to think that they are not true. Mr. T. M. Eaaton, the President of the Cape Foulwind Labour Union, very promptly replied to the article from which we have quoted as follows: — "Tho relations between the contractors and the men are of a most friendly nature, and the contractors are, in the opinion of our committee, carrying out their agreement to tho beat of their ability, and quite satisfactorily, as evidenced by the fact that we have only found it necessary to have one deputation to meet them since the settlement, and then it was upon a very small matter. As to there being any irritation amongst the men (as stated in the artiole) it is not so, as all the men are working away cheerfully, and tho contractors have stated to me that they are well satisfied with the work done by the Union men." Mr. Easton further wrote, "The Union is prepared at all times to take up the cudgels and defend our rights, as we have done successfully already, but I do not think we will have any necosaity to do so hero again, as the contractors are endeavouring 1 to work in harmony with aa, and aro keeping their pledges loyally." It ia satisfactory to find such an authoritative contradiction of the insinuations and statements of the News as to there being much irritation amongst the men, and that tho contractors have not kept faith. The recent strike at one time bade fair to lead to very serious results, but in face of Mr. Easton's letter there appoais no reason for assuming any connection between it and the dynamite outrage.