The Hawera Star. MONDAY, OCTOBER 12, 1925. BACK TO WORK.

Hawera Star, Volume XLV, 12 October 1925, Page 4

The Hawera Star .

MONDAY, OCTOBER 12, 1925. BACK TO WORK.

Delivered every evening by 5 o’clock in Hawera, Manaia, Normanby, Okaiawa, Eltham, Mangatolci, Kaponga, Alton, Hnrleyville, Patca, Waverlcy, Mokoia, Whakaimra, Obangai, lleremcre, Fraser Ttoarl, and Am rata.

The feeling of relief at the collapse of the seamen’s strike will be general throughout Now Zealand, for the position was becoming serious so far as the export industries were concerned. It is impossible to regard a, wage of £9 a month, plus his own keep, as liberal payment for a married man, and we do not. think that any of those in New Zealand who have opposed the strike would! attempt to argue that the seamen are handsomely paid. But the position was that the men had entered into a contract, which they deliberately -broke, and it is very difficult to find justification for the. breaking of a contract. Most people will feel sorry for the rank and file of the strikers, who, deserting their own union leadens, chose to follow irresponsible agitators—and were victimised by them. One of the lessons of the experience will be in the foolishness of mutiny ivithin the camp of one’s own union. There seems little reason to doubt that the end of the trouble has been hastened by the determined stand of the Government in its guarantee of protection for free labouT, and by the splendid response by the young men of the country districts, for the most part, employees themselves, but employees realising that the welfare of worker as well as nt as ter must always depend on the maintenance of regular transport services between the producer and his market. To those who volunteered, and to the Government which offered them safe .passage, the thanks of the Dominion are jointly due.