‘HARMFUL CRITICISM’: RANDOLPH CHURCHILL AND WATERSIDERS

Greymouth Evening Star, 14 October 1947, Page 5

‘HARMFUL CRITICISM’: RANDOLPH CHURCHILL AND WATERSIDERS

(P.A.) WELLINGTON, This Day. Exhorting Mr Randolph Churchill to vary his itinerary and to accept waterfront work, Mr T. Hill, the National secretary of the New Zealand Waterside Workers’ Union, said in a letter to Mr Churchill today: “Come, Mr Churchill, time is getting short.” Remarking that Mr Winston Churchill had shown his esteem for manual labour by engaging in bricklaying Mr Hill stated: “He recognises that creative work builds the cathedral of the mind. History too relates that your illustrious ancestor, the Duke of Marlborough, spent 17 hours in the saddle at the Battle of Blenheim. It was a goodly example. May I suggest that no less than during the ‘Forever-Amber’ period of English history comparable devotion to the cause of the. hour would help Britain in her present struggle?”

• The letter added that Mr Churchill’s explanation that he did not intend as criticism his statement, that “the prize for slowness must certainly be awarded to the waterside workers at Auckland” was indifferent logic. It was and remained objectionable and harmful criticism and was regarded seriously by the New Zealand Union. Referring to the unwisdom of rash opinions Mr Hill said there had been a pronounced disposition in Wellington to put into practice on the waterfront what could be called the “Randolph Churchill week of 40 hours. “This would surely have been attended by unhappy results.” The union considered Mr Churchill should find time to make a practical inquiry about watersiders and determine for himself the slowness of the waterfront work at Auckland or at 'any other New Zealand port. The union deserved more than the mere assertion that Mr Churchill’s commitments made it impossible for him to work on the wharves.

“You should provide more specific evidence than you have found to sup L port your charges that your itinerary cannot possibly be varied to include an inspirational stay on the waterfront. Will you meet this particular request? Above all, will you work on the wharves at your convenience?”