TIMBER WORKERS’ UNION

Grey River Argus, 1 December 1943, Page 2

TIMBER WORKERS’ UNION

REPLY TO NATIONAL SECRETARY BY WESTLAND BRANCH SECRETARY.' Mr. F. L. Turley, Secretary to the Westland Branch of the New Zealand Timber Workers’ Union forwards the following reply to the statement of the National Secretary of the Union, M. F. Craig, published in the “Argus” of November 27: — In the first place, it is true that I would be elected under the system in operation if opposed during the time 1 was National Secretary, but if my memory serves me right, I was elected unanimously at the first annual conference of the Union, held in Rotorua. But even that does not make the method in operation correct. To the contrary, the election of two Auckland industrial district men to what is an important committee in so far as both the North and South Island separately are concerned by their own votes, along with a small South Island branch, namely Canterbury, does prove that the method works!, unfairly, particularly when two North Island branches along with four South Island branches want both the North and South Island represented on that committee. I will leave it. to your readers to judge as to whether or not two Auckland ■ ispresentatives, to the exclusion of South Island representation, is in Pv degree fair or equitable, when there is such a vast difference between the two islands in every aspect of the timber industry). Knowing the men concerned as I do, it was quite apparent to me what would be the result in the appointment of the proposed committee when a conference was hurriedly called to decide the matter; in fact, I pointed out before the conference took place who would be appointed, and my observations proved only too correct. Perhaps Mr. Craig could inform me was it just a coincidence that the Canterbury branch delegate did not return to the council meeting on the second day after he had given the Canterbury branch votes in favour of complete domination of the South Island by the North Island. Surely it was not his conscience that pricked him. It. should not have done so, as we were informed that it was on the instructions of his branch that the votes went for two Auckland representatives. x . , Mr. Craig then went on to point out that it was childish to suggest that there was a danger of Westland becoming a logging camp for the North Island, but I can assure Mr. Craig that in the past we have sent logs to the North Island for cutting up, and with North Island control. 1 say unhesitatingly that there is a grave danger of this happening to the serious detriment of the South Island. Has not the State already built a very large sawmill in tne Auckland district? Are they not now having pther large plants established in the North Island for the further manufacture of timbers. Yet nothing is done to establish this industry in the South Island, to the place it warrants, in proportion to tne timber areas of both Islands. Mr. Craig further points out that the National Union has advocated that box mills and drying kilns should be installed on the West Coast. This I must say is one of those very dangerous half-truths so apt to be taken for granted The facts are that when the Westland branch approached the Government requesting the establishment of drying kilns, box .factories and other manufactories in connection with 'Vest Coast timbers, the matter was referred to Mr. Craig by the Forestry Department, and he, in a letter to the Forestry Department on September the 13th last, stated that the National office had given consideration tb the matter, and were m favour of as much kiln drying being done on the West coast as possible, and were also in favour of the State running box factories to full capacity. However, the true position is this: • When the National officers of the Union met in the Westland Branch .office in Greymouth, on September 2, 1943, the question was fully discussed. and the National officers agreed to send' on to the Forestry Department. as the opinions of the National officers, a letter which was drafted at that meeting, requesting the State to immediately establish drving kilns, butter box making factories and plant for the processing of such timbers suitable for all building purposes before being railed_ or shipped from the West Coast; ana if the S?tate were not in favour of doing this, that the rights be granted to private enterprise to do the job. Mr. Craig did not send on that letter as agreed bM the National officers in the presence of those officers of the Westland branch. On the contrary he sent the letter as quoted above, which was just the reverse of what he was instructed to do. Mr. Craig, no doubt, thinks that all the timber workers are so childish, as ne suggests in his letter, as to think that his letter really means the reverse to • what he has written, and . . that the Forestry Department would i; h'o able to read into the letter something that is not there, just like h’s imaginary fight for shipping for the West. Coast during the war period. Mr Craig sbeaks of the' parochial view, and this is the rrave danger, as : to Mr. CraiT Auckland, is the whole of New Zealand and every-

thing should be done just as Auckland desires. Does Mr. Craig know that one of our best white pine mills is about to close down because, first!/, a lack of shipping, and secondly, a shortage of manpower, when a couple of small suitable scows of. the correct type could easily bring all the timber from the mill concerned, to Hokitika for manufacture and then shipment to the North Island with a large saving in shipping space, while on the other hand, we are able to find shipping space to ship millions of feet of timber from foreign countries in made-up shooks for butter boxes? Perhaps Mr. Craig does not even know that we are importing, or are about to import, millions of feet of limber, or substitute for timber, from overseas to take the place of the best timber in the world for butter boxes, while arrangements could not oe made to ship timber from Bruce Bay to Hokitika to make the butter boxes there.. Surely better organisation than this could, be thought out. It surely appears strange that shipping space can be found to ship timber thousands of miles from foreign countries but it cannot be found for a few hundred miles of shipping around the shores of New Zealand.

In connection with Mr. Craig’s statem&nt on the question bfi the butter ration and the suggestion of a strike that came from Westland, it does appear to me that the suggestion of a strike and the shortage of dripping has alarmed Mr. Craig most of all. Yet we find Mr. Craig supporting and negotiating on behalf of the shipwrights of Auckland when they went on strike for a principle (and surely this is an essential industry). Again only on Saturday last, per a Press Association message, we find that Mr. Craig was one of those representing the building trades’ employees (another essential industry) at a stop-work meeting of 4,500 men. There was a threat of a further stoppage of work by this large body of men next Saturday to hear the report of Mr. Stanley and Mr. Craig oh any further developments that may have arisen. I would point out that two days off by 4.500 men would equal over eight days’ stoppage for the whole of the West Coast timber workers. I would Pke to ask Mr. Craig if there should be stoppages in essential industries such a’s the two named above, when in the- case of timber workers. Mr. Craig believes that, by going cap in hand" and down on bended knees, results could be obtained for the timber workers? Just, wnere is the logic of this kind of industrial dope?