Timber Industry Awards

Greymouth Evening Star, 22 September 1949, Page 3

Timber Industry Awards

Sir,—ln replying to “Mercutio” I could almost liken the task to that one encounters in the occupation of snigger when all known of shifting a log have failed. In effect “Mercutio” in his first letter accused Mr Turley of bankrupting a big proportion of West Coast sawmillers, one of the' methods used being to slip through the Arbitration Court the bank-to-bank clause. Mr Turley replied that previously workers were away 10 to 11 hours', mainly through the sawmillers’ not laying tramways that could be travelled on at a decent speed. My reply was that Mr Turley, being an efficient secretary, obeyed the instructions of the union members, hence the bank-to-bank clause. “Mercutio,” in his reply to-Mr Turley’s letter, among other things brought in the price of coal, and also said that New Zealand was likely to be flooded with timber from other countries with the consequent lowering of wages and unemployment, the hard part being that Mr Turley’s salary would continue. In my letter I suggested that “Mercutio” had an axe to grind with Mr Turley, In “Mercutio’s” last letter he assures me that so far as he is concerned he is quite good friends with Mr Turley. “Mercutio” states that he admires Mr Turley for his versatility. I could almost say the same thing of “Mercutio” after reading all the nice things he has said about Mr Turley, but “Mercutio’s” statement that he was once a snigger makes me think there must be something phoney about the job and this will be the last time. I will sign as SNIGGER. Nelson Creek, Sept. 20. Subject to the right of reply by “Mercutio,” if he cares to exercise it, this correspondence is closed.—Ed. Evg. Star.