CORRESPONDENCE

Evening Post, Volume LXXXVII, Issue 29, 4 February 1914, Page 10

CORRESPONDENCE

NEARING THE WHARFHEAD TO THE EPITOR. Sir, — Once more I inflict a, public address upon you. From my bedroom's southern window I see many things beyond the gubernatorial residence, and perpend matters that are of great importance to many who ne\er consider them. Primarily, the aftciorop of the waterside workers' strike. It is a crop that will be hai vested in bitterness ; but the reaping is sine, and of the [ would-be harvesteis many will come under the flail. Of the intolerance of the old-time union a lot of truth has been written. But what shall be said of its tyrannic successor? Consider the studied supincness of the new union oflicials, sitting apparently unmoved while the circling tide of public opinion, and the resolute attack of chastened ex-strikers, are sweeping them towards oblivion. They, as figureheads for the class of misfits who torm the bulk of their union, of necessity will he inched on and on till they metaphorically fall over the wharf-head. A dependable body of workers cannot be made from the trade-failures and industrial offscourings of the city : and still less so from the comparatively few incompetent country labourers. And the average employer knows the case to be thus. Therefore, I call upon the same employers to abet the saner employees in the march to firmer ground. There are barnacles on the ship of the master, just as there are warts on the body of the man ; not only Labour is seen to-day in false perspective. And when Capital's saner men become leaders there will be seen more' clearly the fatuous quality of any attempt to bolster up second-class labour to compete against competency. In bare fairness it must be said that more than half of the light'braihed workers who -were led to disaster by the Red Federationists were excellent men on the handle end of a doghook. But by the fifth hoop of a tallow cask I assure yon that not half of the free labourers weie. The competents among them — ihe stout-framed farmers and the odd country labourers who wanted a temporary change of j Seene — are back at their easier and more ' profitable occupations : chiefly the "misfits" remain, seeking to keep warm in the flame of gratitude. But gratitude is a cormorant, and the meal of yesterday yields- no sustenance to-day. The : free labourers soon will experience the j truth Of this. I! all conditions "were" : equal, the Wellington employers would ! stick to the free labourer as long as his labour showed a maximum of profit. 'But in the aggregate the free labourer always "did pine more for freedom than for labour, and naturally the superior labourers edged him out of employment. Once again he is balancing on_ the edge, and not all the endearing epithets of the (unemploying) lovers of industrial liberty will preserve him from the final squeeze. Jle always was exploited"; he always will be — in accord' ance with the unnatural but inexorable laws of commercialism. — I am, etc., HENRY SAMUEL MUNSON. Adelaide-road, 29th January, 1914. WORK ON THE WHARVES TO THg EDITOR. Sir,— For some time a certain section of watersiders who term themselves loyal men, have been making periodical attacks on certain officials of the Harbour Board. It is in defence of those officials that I write. I may state that lam not an old watersider, but like most others joined the new union early in November, not to break the strike nor out of sympathy with the shipowners, but because of the high wages to be got, and being unemployed the temptation was too great. Well, right up to Christmas I got on exceedingly well, earning good money, and I took care of it, and put a little away. After Christmas my luck was dead out ; I could get nothing. ' Day after day I tried but to no purpose. The Httle bit I had by me was dwindling away, and I found myself unable to pay for my bodge or keep up my subscriptions to the union. But still with all that I find it impossible to blame the labour foreman. This last week I have taken particular notice of the way in which the foreman engages the men, and as far as I can see he is extremely fair, giving as near as is possible the work to those men whom he knows to be loyal, and should he doubt anyone he demands their book or badge. Now I ask the question, can the foreman act fairer than that? My advice to those few agitators who are doing their best to stir up trouble is to keep their eyes open and see for themselves what men are engaged, and take a walk round the wharves and see what a vast preference is given to the men who joined before the end of the strike, and then perhaps they will form a different opinion and be a little more just when attacking the Harbour Board. I am, etc., WATERSIDER. Wellington, 30th January, 1914. U.S.A. AND NEW ZEALAND-AN ANOMALY TO thl! EDITOR. Sir, — If I were in America, and posted a letter to England, it would cost two cents, one penny ; if I posted a letter to New Zealand, it would cost five cents, or 2|d, and to China five cents, but from New Zealand to U.S.A. it only costs two cents, or one penny. As we anticipate a great trade with U.S.A. it may be wise for our Postmaster-General to draw the officials' attention in U.S.A. to this anomaly, as their folk are penalised, and our correspondence is restricted. I know my American friends say that the fivo cents postage is a handicap to correspondence. — I am, etc., A NEW ZEALANDER. 29th January, 1914. FREE PLACES AT GIRLS' COLLEGE 10 THE EDITOR, , Sir, — It will be remembered that there I was considerable heartburning at the beginning of last year over the fact that | many girls, who had then obtained their sixth proficiency certificates, were debarred from availing themselves of their undoubted right to free secondary education at the Wellington Girls' College. To avoid a repetition of the unpleasantness then caused I understand that a fresh plan was devised this year whereby applications for free places were made through the Education Board. I, and probably many mothers interested in their girls' future, have been waiting patiently to see some announcement as to the successful candidates, but nothing has materialised. This morning, on enquiry of the registrar of the "'Girls' College, I was told that nothing could be done with regard to these girls' claims until the school opens next Tuesday morning. To my mind, sir, tl'ie position is so serious a one that the public should demand and obtain an immediate enquiry. An advertisement that has appeared in your columns over the name of the Registrar of Ihe Girls" College announces that " pupils under 10 years of age will be admitted at half fees." I think this is little short of a scandal — that a secondary school endowed by the State should be allowed to contain what is piactiually an infant department, to the exclusion of jjiris of 13, who have

Are there not sufficient grounds for an enquiry? It there is to be raised the class distinction between "paying" and " free " pupils— if there is not room in the present building for the accommodation of both classes — then, sir, is it not time that our girls' claims were fairly considered, and a school established where they can obtain the free secondary education to which they are entitled? I know the old arguments that there is the Technical School and • the secondary department of the Training .School. But these replies are not to the point. My sons could get free places at Wellington Boys' College, and I highly value their treatment and progress there. When it comes to my daughter, who has an equal claim. I am made to feel that, if she gets a free place, she is the recipient of a somewhat begrudged favour. — I • am. etc., AN INTERESTED MOTHER. 29th January, 1914. THE SHIPPING COMPANIES' LOYALTY TO THE EDITOR. Sir,— During the strike no one was more insistent than yourself on insisting on the loyalty of the shipping companies to the men who kept the port open. Now let us see how the "loyalty" clause is being carried out. Yesterday, when the loading of an English liner was nearly completed, and only some ten or fifteen men were required to finish the work in the freezer, where the labour is most highly paid, every man chosen was an ex»striker, although some of the best, workers among the arbitrationists had been among the gang. ~S\y informant was so disgusted that he drew his money and left, and every day this sort of thing is being repeated. It seems, sir, that the offenders in this matter aie the forenien who engage the labour. Perhaps it is their idea of loyalty. Let me add that among the chosen was one man of very filthy habits, who continually chews tobacco and expectorates over everything he is handling. Quite a bit of the "Jungle" over again.— l am, etc., "TRUE BLUE." 29th January, 1914. SUNDAY CONCERTS TO TH« EDITOR. Sir, — A soft answer turneth away wrath, and after reading Mr. Wright's quiet letter I must say that I am very sorry if 1 hurt him in any way, but anything unfair said of the Professional Orchestra gets me reaching for the gloves. I*am afraid that no amount of argument, even' by the saner and broader-minded of either side, can solve the Sunday Concert problem. It will just go with the stronger, for the greatest happiness of the greatest number will always be the foundation of morals and legislation. But it would be far more comfortable, and productive of less feeling, to be free of little mosquito bites lifce "Jure DivinoV letter. (One would think by the norn de plume that the Holy Book had gone into the question of Sunday concerts). This correspondent, who shelters behind a pseudonym to fire his pop-gun, is just the very one to butt in on this subject. His ideas of horn and tympani players are entertaining, his little In Memoriam to the old Municipal Orchestra is very touching, and his schemes for a new one and crowded tramcars are perfectly staggering. He says he is not a "kill- joy." Part of his letter feels like a "Kill-Bloy." But this Sunday handling by a certain set of good people is becoming petty tyranny, and rebellion against tyrants is obedience to God. From his throne of "Pooh Bah" and consulting Orcliestral Architect, "Jure Divino," calls us commercialists. The Professional Orchestra has given uplifting pleasure, free of charge, to thousands of young people, who otherwise would walk and moon around, starving their brain, and hating Sunday, or playing bridge. For this, are we Sabbath breakers? — I am, etc., HERBERT BLOY. 30th January, 1914. WHARF TROUBLES { 10 THE EDITOR. Sir, — If those that were responsible for giving preference, with a badge, to those who joined our union previous to Bth December had the slightest knowledge of human nature no such foolish resolution would have ever seen the light of day, for' even our own members are heartily ashamed of it, as witness hardly any wearing the badge of preference ; and, moreover, what do some of these new members want? Do they think the companies are charitable aid societies, and that tea and cakes, go as you please, and a general jolly time at work can always last? The foremen are invariably fair; and I say this — as a striker and arbitrationist — to expect them tp get woik done and to deal fairly you must have men of experience and strength. Handling sheep, quarters of beef, bales of wool, flax, and casks of tallow, to say nothing of cheese and coal handling, wants good stalwart men, and why should old hands in leading gangs or working in gangs allow their poor bodies and strength to be used for others? This cursed strike has broken up homes and sent some of the best workers in Wellington adrift, but we are neither going to shelter under our wives nor cringe because we have families for the right or liberty to work. Instead of victimisation, all men who took a prominent part in this strike should have a permanent job, for you cannot crush principle by persecution, or finally settle strikes — which are a struggle of ideas — by an appeal to brute force or shouting " scab " from the house-tops. To write or talk about those who joined our union saving the situation, or opening the ports, is childish; the Government opened the ports by well organised military tactics, and, like the vast majority, ■we looked on at the drama enacted. Now, sir, we want peace, but not at any price; this preference must go. The union must elect its own officers, and men who have committed no crime must be employed without victimisation. These proposals are sane and reasonable, and if the employers are wise and amenable to reason they will allow the Court to get or help them out of a situation we all deplore. — I am, etc., INDUSTRIALIST. 31st January, 1914.