“ORGANISED BY COMMUNIST PARTY"— LABOUR FEDERATION OPPOSES WEDNESDAY’S DEMONSTRATION

Greymouth Evening Star, 24 June 1950, Page 3

“ORGANISED BY COMMUNIST PARTY"— LABOUR FEDERATION OPPOSES WEDNESDAY’S DEMONSTRATION

WELLINGTON, June 23 (P.A.).— Demonstrations planned by the Trade Union Congress throughout NewZealand on Wednesday are known by Communists as “Hiccough” strikes., according to Mr F. P. Walsh, vicepresident of the New Zealand Federation of Labour. This term is apparently applied to brief strikes intended as sharp and sudden expressions of force. Mr Walsh announced tonight that the national .council of the Federation of Labour had endorsed the national refusal to take part in the demonstrations on Wednesday at the opening of Parliament. He said that an invitation to take part received from the then chairman of the Trade Union Congress (Mr F. G. Young) had been rejected. Mr Walsh said the national council would not ask workers to take part in a national partial strike on June 28. The executive had stated that there was evidence that the demonstration was being organised by the New Zealand Communist Party and by trade union officials who had been misled by them. They were using what was termed the inadequacy of the amount of the Arbitration Court’s wage increase for their political purposes. Those tactics were understandable to those who had a knowledge of the philosophy of the Communist Party. Sabotaging Efforts The national council resolved to advise the workers, said Mr Whlsh, to take note of the important fact that much agitation for demonstrations on Wednesday came from the Communist Party, and the proposed stoppage was in line with the inter-nationally-directed sabotaging efforts of Communists in all democratic countries. This short stoppage, said Mr Walsh, was known as a “hiccough strike, so termed and directed by the Communist-controlled World Federation of Trade Unions. Similar agitation was noted in Australia, where it had been spurned by real unions. . The proposed stoppage on Wednesday could not affect any legislation, and was part of the.-cold war against free trade unionism and democracy. For those reasons the national council strongly urged workers to refrain from participation in the demonstration. . Mr A. C. Melville, secretary of the New Zealand Trade Union Congress, when invited to comment on Mr Walsh’s statement, said that the Trade Union Congress was indebted to Mr Walsh for his information on the Communist Party policy and on directions from Moscow. “We find it interesting that Mr Walsh appears always to be ahead of ‘■everyone else in New Zealand with information on Moscow and Communist Party intentions,” said Mr Melville. “We ourselves have not heard of the W.F.T.U. direction, or of ‘hiccough’ strikes, but we are glad ! to be informed and for this are grateful to Mr Walsh. “Democratic Manner” | “Normally, Mr Walsh’s statement would be treated with the contempt it deserves, but we wish to make it clear that the workers are demonstrating in a democratic manner and in their own interests against the lifting of subsidies and the resultant price increases, rather than let the Federation of Labour dictate their affairs. It is important to note that j the workers of New Zealand have

still had in effect a .wage cut of 3d an hour with the removal of subsidies. This figure is shown in Mr Walsh’s own submissions. “We believe Mr Walsh failed badly in his advocacy in the court. The court’s decision proves _ this. _We therefore intend as citizens in a democratic manner*to carry our protest individually to Parliament so that Mr Holland and his Government may know the feeling of resentment engendered among workers by the cut made in their effective wages. If Mr Walsh sees a Communist in every man claiming adequate wages, he severely misjudges his fellow New Zealanders.”' Deputation To Ministers WELLINGTON, June 23 (P.A.).— A deputation to form a conference of the Federation of Labour executive, representatives of the Associated Society of Railway Servants, the Enginedrivers’, Firemen’s and Cleaners’ Association, miners’ and seamen’s organisations, and the harbour workers’ and engineers’ unions, met the Prime Minister (Mr Holland) and the Minister of Labour (Mr W. Sullivan) today, to submit views on the effect of the lifting of subsidies and controls. “Discussions were on. a very friendly basis,” said Mr Holland this evening. He made no other comment on the meeting. Some Exemptions Made WELLINGTON, June 23 (P.A.).— Newspaper delivery truck drivers in Wellington will work as usual while other drivers stop work to demonstrate at Parliament next Wednesday, it was announced today. ’lt has already been decided by the Wellington Drivers’ Union that bus and ambulance drivers should work aS usual.

DISMISSAL THREAT: DUNEDIN TRAMWAYS June 23 (P.A.).—The Dunedin City Council this evening, after a discussion in committee, decided to instruct its transport manager to inform officials of the Dunedin branch of the Tramways’ Union and its members that they must not proceed with a proposed stop-work meeting on Wednesday, June 28. Failing compliance, the union and its members are to be informed that the alternative is dismissal from the service of all those who are required to carry out duty on Wednesday afternoon and who default because of taking part in the demonstration. “This is a matter which the department should make clear to the people concerned in this threatened demonstration,” said the chairman of the transport committee (Cr E. J. Anderson). “I hope that transport will not be stopped for this illegal and unwarranted purpose.” A discussion in committee took place on an application by Mr W. B. Richards, on behalf of the Trade Union Congress, for permission to hold an open-air meeting in the Queen’s Gardens on June 28. The council decided to grant permission for the meeting to be held in the Market Reserve. Cr E. J. Smith said Queen’s Gardens, containing the Memorial Cenotaph to the war dead, was sacred ground. z „. ~ In this view the Mayor (Sir Donald Cameron) and other councillors concnrrccl. Mr Richards is president of the Dunedin branch of the New Zealand Tramways’ Union.