"MANLY ACTION"

Evening Post, Volume CXXII, Issue 70, 19 September 1936, Page 10

"MANLY ACTION"

MR. SEMPLE'S STAND N.Z. WORKERS' UNION VIEW The attitude' adopted by the Minister of Public Works recently regarding industrial trouble at Motueka and elsewhere is. commended by Messrs. R. Eddy (president) and A. Cook (secretary) of'the New Zealand Workers' Union. After criticising the Communist Party '.in New Zealand, Messrs. .Eddy and i Cook, in a pamphlet, state: ". ■•.;:. we ! dB take exception to responsible industrial organisations, particularly those in the Auckland district, who are sticking their noses into affairs that are not their concern. Surely, they have sufficient to do to look after their own unions; and before attacking the Minister of Public Works and the New Zealand Workers'; Union and its officials, they should make sure of their facts and get them from a reliable source. "The action adopted b\ Mr. Semple in connection-with this" dispute was that of a statesman of high standing, and one that the New Zealand Workers' Union fully endorses. Mr. Semple acted the man right through the dispute and made it his business to see that the workers received every penny that they had earned. In plain words, he told the mischief-makers that he would riot tolerate their dirty work in his Department, and he was quite right. To the best of our knowledge there were only two individuals that Mr. Semple said would not be given a further chance to stir up strife ana dislocate Public Works undertakings. One of these men has a long criminal record/ The other 'is a man who will not be tolerated by any body of unionists on any'job in New Zealand; and if the Auckland organisations, who are so very much concerned about these two men, want them to work in their industries, we shall be only too gleased to make the necessary arrangements. In any case, the New Zealand Workers' JJnion does not want them. "The New Zealand Workers' Union and 99 per cent, of its membership endorse the manly action adopted by Mr. Semple,'and we have every confidence in him, realising that he has, during his short time in office, done more than his part in bringing into the lives of the Public Works employees and their wives and kiddies a little more happiness and contentment. Further, the New Zealand Workers' Union is determined to work in harmony with the Labour Government and the Minister of Public Works; and without fear or favour will carry on the great work that has been entrusted to it in order to make this country safe for its decent citizens for all time."