A NEW PHASE OF UNIONISM.

Evening Star, Issue 11626, 10 July 1902, Page 4

A NEW PHASE OF UNIONISM.

MR WREN’S DEED OP PARTNER. SHIP. The following correspondenoo has hes?, handed to us by Mr J. Wren, with a request for its publication Trades Hall, Dunedin* July 9, 1902. Mr J. Wren. Dear sir,—-I beg to inform you that Mr Flynn and myself hare been appointed to wait upon you for the purpose of inspecting deed of partnership between yourself ana son. Kindly name a day when it would be convenient to receive us, provided the time is feed at about 5 p.m.—Yours, etc- 5 S. Brekn, Secretary. Mr R. Breen, Secretary Painters’ Union. Dear sir,—-Your favor of the 9th to hand, in which you say that the Painters’ Union have appointed Mr Flynn and yourself to come and inspect the deed of partnership that exists between my son ami self, and that the time must he about five in the evening. We will be at the shop at five this evening (Thursday), or to-morrow (Friday) at the same time, when you will have the pleasure of investigating the whole of our family and domestic concern, matters of private and personal interest, matters that wc have in the past looked upon as sacred to ourselves and ourselves alone. We put it to yourselves as men of common sense: Would you like anyone to come to your bouse to-night and demand to know and make you produce legal evidence of your own private life? Would you like it? And then, if the evidence did not suit them (and heaven knows what will suit them!) they had the power to say this son of yours shall go out of this place; he shall not learn to become an honorable member of society—would you like it? He shall not have the knowledge to be a help to yoa in carrying on a business that you lave established for the support of your family. Do you think there is any other place on the face of the earth where a father is threatened with imprisonment or a fine of £IOO if he teaches his own child his own handicraft? In other countries there is a > premium for knowledge, but here my knowledge as a house painter if imparted to my own flesh and blood is likely to be a curse, that will rob me of my freedom and my family of their natural and lawful support. Gentlemen, the deed is at your disposal, and I remain, yours etc, James Wbbt.