POSITION OF A LABOUR COUNCILLOR

Evening Post, Volume CI, Issue 92, 19 April 1921, Page 8

POSITION OF A LABOUR COUNCILLOR

TO THE BDITOR. Sir, —I am not in the habit of rushing into print upon the slightest provocation, but after the treatment meted out to mo by the Hutt L.R.C. I feel that I owe it to myself to explain tho real position in regard to tho gas stokers. The facts briefly are as follow: In 1914 the gas stokers were receiving £3 5s per week, to-day they are receiving £5 15s, and increase of £2 10a per week of 4.2 hours. At the time they demanded tho 3s bonus they wore in receipt of £5 12s per week, double pay for holidays, fourteen days' holiday per annum on full pay, or an increase of Is ljd per hour since 1914. Is there any other body of workers in Petona who have enjoyed such an increase? I submit there is not, and I contend if the Labour Party repudiated any action, then it is for them to say in what way I have broken their platform and what is their ruling in the case of a Labour representative voting against raising the wages of any employee of the Borough Council, and aa I understand tho party to be nominating six candidates for the coining election, it will be of interest to the rest of the workers of this town to know whether there is in the opinion of the L.R.C. any limit that the wages of municipal employees can reach, if so, my offence can only be one of degree. For instance, if I stop at £5 12s, perhaps the Labour Party would advise stopping at, say, £5 15s, in which case I have only transgressed 3s worth—an error of judgment only. Surely that does not merit the treatment I hayo received from a few who have been in the Labour movement for a very short time and who only become activo when in search of a position. I would remind these members of the Hutt L.R..C. that I have consistently fcught for Labour during tho past ten years, and will probably bo "on side" when some of these enthjsiasts have been ■] forgotten.

In conclusion, let me say as I have not attended any meeting subsequent to the passing of the resolution affecting myself. I cannot havo resigned as stated. However, this statement is probably due to tho secretary's ignorance of the meaning of tho word "subsequent." For his special benefit, I attach the meaning of the word (which I consider particularly well adapted to the Hutt L.R.C. as at present constituted), i.e., "following, or coming after."—l am, etc., „., A „ A. ANDERSON. 18th April.