STOCKTON NOTES

Grey River Argus, 31 July 1924, Page 2

STOCKTON NOTES

(Our Own Correspondent). Mr E. Me Caffery met with a painful accident on Wednesday, necessitating his removal to the Westport Hospital . Mr Erie Seott will resume work after an enforced spell of four months, due to his being erushed between some trucks, when uncoupling. There was a fair attendance at the Union meeting last Sunday; but there is still plenty of room for members in the hall. 'Hie seating capacity has not-yet been overtaxed. Between now and November the rank and tile must make up their minds about the new agreement. Don’t depend on your officials! Do your own thinking. Attend your meetings, and put forward your suggestions. .Although the workers do not. seem to understand, and are lax in their attention to the one thing that matters, there is nothng of more importance to us as workers, than to { realise that the only barrier between mt and the lowering of our present standard of living is the Union. It matters not how little we seem to accomplish; how much we differ on tactics: how small the attendance by the faithful, few; our organisation is, and always will be, the rallying point when trouble comes. It should he the rallying point lx. fore trouble comes! And whv is it not so? The workers untainted with their masters’ outlook. They cannot help being subservient to the boss until what? Until the boss wants to reduce the wages. Then some of the workers; not all. oh dear no, start kicking. An underviewer in the Buller, passed the remark, after the miners hud received the blessings of the Arbitration Court: “We’ve got you where we want you now! You've had your innings, and now it’s our turn. ’’ You see the underviewer considers himself part and parcel of the employers of Labour. How many of the workers are captured by a smile from the manager.’ The workers can tight, oh yes, and die too! How many will give an hour or two per week to serious study, and think? I can almost hear someone saying: “But > w<- .-rre patriotic! We fight for our count r\ . It never .seems to strike th- in that the country is their’s only when there’s a war to fight or a debt io pay. If the workers really wanted i In- country they fought for, they would be immediately told they were interfiling with other people’s business . Though man, a thinking being is defined. few use the great prerogative of mind. How few think kindly of the thinking few. How many never think, who think they do? To get anywhere nt all. we must do our own thinking, and not put it out like washing. Shakespeare says: “Cowardice hath made us by words to our enemies. ’’ Nobody

can deny it. It’s true—too true. We are endeavouring Io get a medical meeting at Stockton on Sunday next, and every member should endeavour to put in an appearance, as the business to be transacted is of a very important nature. The Distrct Council’s report was adopted at Sunday’s meeting, and Messrs Whittle and Palderstone wore lominat* d for positions on the National t'ouncil. Nominations for the National Council closed on the 28th inst. There is plenty of work in sight for the national body, and the help of every member is urgently desired. The amount of the “Argus” bvy lias now been ascertained, and will Im* forwarded m mediately.