BRINGING MEN IN TO WORK

Evening Post, Volume XC, Issue 134, 3 December 1915, Page 4

BRINGING MEN IN TO WORK

TO THE EDITOR. Sir, —It is evident that the writer of the Thomson Tompson letters has not the courage to unmask himself, the ordeal would be too much for a person who is accustomed to masquerade in the dark. The controversy has brought another correspondent into the field, namely, Mr. J. Hutchinson, secretary of the New Zealand Federated Boot Trade Industrial Association of Workers. Mr. Hiitchinson's letter is so void of facts that I am sure it will only amuse the section of the community who know the actual position and who read with any interest letters having reference to their own particular trade. I will now proceed to contradict the statements contained in Mr. Hutchinson's letter. I never inferred that military contracts are an incumbrance. I am anxious to make as many military boots as the Minister for Munitions and supplies requires of my firm, and the Minister was notified some weeks ago through the New Zealand Boot Manufacturers' Association that Hannah's factory is willing to supply double the present quantity. Additions to plant have been made in order to cope with the makin? of military boots. The question of sufficient skilled labour is the only difficulty that can possibly arise in this direction. Mr. Hutchinson writes : "Has any shortage of labour in the trade existed?" I am astounded at such a question being asked. Mr. Hutchinson must have seen the numerous advertisements inserted by Hannah and Co. in many dailies throughout the Dominion for months past calling for clickers, machinists, pull over operators, lasting operators, bench hands, and finishers. My firm a-dvertised that situations were vacant, but Mr. Hutchinson did not advertise that skilled operatives were requiring situations, neither did he bring any along in response to the advertisements. Surely, if he knew of skilled operatives requiring situations it was incumbent on him as secretary of his association to see that no skilled and conscientious operatives belonging to the union were out of employment while work was offering. Advertising for help in Australia entailed considerable expense and correspondence, and was only resorted to when all attempts to procure assistance | locally had proved futile. What Mr. Hutchinson terms a restriction of wages j was a counter move by the Manufacturers' Association to try and prevent the close corporation of labour from unduly harassing manufacturers by continuing the practice that had arisen of operatives constantly moving from one factory to another and demanding higher wages. The manufacturers could see that if they continued paying higher and higher wages without increasing their output they would be forced to call upon the public to pay more ,for their footwear. Mr. Hutchinson omitted to mention that the restriction whereby one manufacturer agreed not to pay a higher rate of wages than the employee liad received at the last place of employment only'applied to a period of three months from the date of starting work. This counter-move was forced upon the manufacturers, and is another proof of the labour shortage. lam perfectly sincere about my firm paying their employees wages commensurate with what they produce. I don't care whether it's the Socialists' objective or anything else, I call it "Business." The more an employee is able to produce the move gladly will Hannah and Co. pay Therefore, if Mr. Hutchinson is likewise sincere about 300 operatives being available, I wish he would submit their names to me without delay. I would have been deeply indebted to Mr. Hutchinson if he had offered me a tenth of 300 skilled operators within tile last six months. I also wisli to explain that long before the war started my firm was never able to obtain .adequate supplies from the factory; the orders placed have always exceeded the output, and the warehouse has frequently had to withhold orders at the special request of the factory. With regard to -the employment of apprentices, that is a subject always left to the factory manager to deal with. My firm has advertised for apprentices to* learn the trade, wsgV,»" 25s per wsk to start, so that if 2&i. Hulcninson is able to

supply suitable youths about 17 or 18 years of age I will be obliged if he will send them along to Mr. Oshorne, the facI tory manager, who will gladly put on the full complement allowed under the award. Mr. Hutchinson wants to know why many of the Australian boot factories have only been working half time. My answer to that is gathered from observations made, namely, the boot factories in Australia are efficiently equipped and capable of supplying the demand created by prosperous seasons, whereas-Australia has recently experienced one of the sevj crest droughts on record. Sheep flocks alone have been depleted to the extent of twenty millions of sheep, all of which affects the spending power enormously and seriously curtails the demand. The most pleasing portion of Mr. Hutchinsons letter is his agreement with me that the Australian workers are not shirkers. This announcement by the workers accredited*, representative is most convincing, for it shatters the vituperations contained iir the letters written by J. Thomson, J. Tompson. Mr. Hutclunson suggests that firms producing for private profit and loss should curtail their output. I presume the mention of the word loss is permissible, seeing that it is impossible for. Mr. Hutchinson to know what profit and loss the majority of manufacturers are making It is not unusual for a manufacturer to continue m-business for years and be losing money all the time. Now, Sir, the authorities controlling tie Empire's destiny do not advocate curtailing production^ They say it is the duty of every patriotic citizen to put forth every effort towards increased production. War taxation is derived from incomes, and all payers of income tax will cheerfully respond to whatever demand is made by the Government. It has given me much pleasure replying to Mr. Hutclunson "s letter. I am glad of the opportunity to reply to a man who is neither afraid nor ashamed of his name.—l am etc JAS. A. HANNAH. Leeds-street, Ist December.