A WEAK-KNEED TRUCE.

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume II, Issue 45, 6 February 1912, Page 4

A WEAK-KNEED TRUCE.

The truce in connection with the Wellington strike —we cannot for shame’s sake call it a settlement —is about the weakest thing ever recorded in the annals of industrial strife, and we feel sure the men themselves must have a profound contempt for those who have so meekly bowed their heads to the storm. Inspector Fuller has been made a scape goat for the pusillanimous council, and the city has eaten dirt. It was indeed fitting that Sir Joseph Ward should have been the mediator. This master of compromise has excelled even his past bill liant performances and the ‘ Fullei clause” in the famous treaty should be illuminated and hung in tin II ills of Parliament. Just consider the position for a moment and realise the ludicrous termination. The men demand Fuller’s removal and the council refuses to comply. Thou the Inspector resigns and the council sighs relief. But this is too em a victory, so the men say ‘No. He must resign at our request.” M<n< trouble and trembling at the knee* and then the Master appears on the scene with the following:- That the removal of Inspector Fuller to some other position in the train wax service as originally requesied by the Tramway Union and now desired by the officer himself be tamed o it. Under this wizard touch the t ispute ends, and the mem like s htolbns present d with bat. of sweetmeats, return to their arduous 1 hours. Possible Sir Joseph uoes 1 >t look sufficiently far ahead to see the consequences of this action. He d ies not. anparent.lv. see that the men figntmg over an utter absurdity, hive defied the laws of the land anti in defying them brought the capital itv to its knees and provided the . juncillot s with the meal of dirt they seemed to crave for. The truce is a blow which will hit unionism as hard as it will capital, and cannot fail to add fuel to the fire of industrial discontent. Had the men fought for a big principle one could almost have congratulated them upon their victory ; as they fought over an absurdity we can only hope they will accept the craven surrender of the City Council with commonsense and temperate gratification.