CORRESPONDENCE.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLIX, Issue 3828, 7 August 1928, Page 2

CORRESPONDENCE.

(To the Editor.) Sir. —May I, through your columns, presume to differ with the statement published by the Secretary of the Flaxmills Employees Union. To my mind his statement is about the weakest exposition I have yet read. In the first place, to ask to bo allowed to scan the millers’ books is peculiar, if not impertinent. Supposing a tradesman asked the Secretary or any flaxworker to produce his private books before serving them, what then? But to be consistent, why are members of the Union debarred a perusal of the Union balancesheet? So why demand an insight into the millers’ books when the members are told the balance-sheet is for the executive only? As to breaking the award, it is alleged this same Secetary called “scab” to the men who worked under an award given in an industry, the workers of which had been stupidly led on strike against; and now he is piously pleading for local men to uphold their > particular award. While on the subject of awards, I understand the General Labourers award is 1 lOfd per hour. Now why is it that lie allows some of his Union members to break that award by accepting as low as eight shillings per day , thereby cutting the wages of those who do not work at the mills. Further, for the benefit of the Foxton men, I would point out that at Shannon a large number of flaxies are working on relief drainage works for 12s per day. What about the labourers’ award, Mr Secretary? Not forgetting they could get 13s 6d per day by working at the mills, and Shannon is held up as the home of all good unionists. The Secretary’s whole case hinges on a prospectus issued by certain peo2:>le in order to float a company, and a more stupid refuge is hard to conceive. Anyone with average intelligence knows that those prospectuses are always fringed with gold, and the secretary must know that that particular prospectus was severely dealt with recently in a certain weekly publication. If the secretary honestly believes what was published in that prospectus, why does he not grab a few shares The present attitude taken up by the secretary is only calculated to breed animosity between master and man. My experience of the millers is that their word is reliable. The position, put plainly, is that the men are kept idle by intimidation. He says the millers are out to cut down wages. Then why did the millers offer to pay the award rate when prices enabled them to do so? Some people require a good memory. What is required here is for the men to govern themselves, which can be done by electing a representative committee, likewise the millers, and meeting each month to discuss the various phases of the industry as they occur, which would tend to bring about a spirit of co-operation, rather than the present stupid situation. I know r full well what the sway of a “Mussolini” is in unions. I also know what it is to be victimised for opinions contrary to the will of these dictators results in. The plain facts are these: We have to go to work sooner or later. While we are idle we are going back I3s 6d per day, and what chance have we to make it up. We have to carry the baby, and not the secretary. Mr Fraser, Labour M.P., has a Bill before the House entitled “The Right to Work.Bill.” There is work in Foxton, but our “Tin Hat” says no. How much longer w T e married s men are going to eat dry bread I don’t know, but I think a more sensible defence needs to be found by the secretary. Let him cease his kite Hying and get down to commonsense. —Yours, etc., FIBRE. (To the Editor.) Sir. —In your issue of Saturday, 4th hist., your remarks on the flaxmillers and their employees are, to my mind, very fair and unbiased. I am sorry I cannot say the same with regard to the Union secretary’s. It has often struck me in reading that gentleman’s sayings, whether, if he was an employer, would he be so very considerate to his men, even as the millers are. Were the millers and the men allowed to meet and discuss things without the Union officials interference I have no doubt that everything would be satisfactorily settled in an hour’s talk. The body of workers are reasonable men, and so are the millers. With the knowledge I have of the millers I do not know one who wishes to crush the men in any one way. It is a very great pity that this stoppage could not be avoided if a 10 per cent, reduction in wages was to allow the mills to start. I am afraid a good-many could not start their mills even with that reduction, owing to present prices for hemp. I, for one, do not see that the small reduction in wages would solve the difficulty. When one takes into account the actual wages paid to manufacture a ton of hemp, does not come to one. half of the cost of manufacturing and delivering. Of course, any intelligent flax worker can easily arrive at the wages cost of a ton of hemp, but he cannot, know the other charges every miller has to pay. Some, I admit, more than others. I often hear it said a man with his own flax can do what a man working on royalty cannot. Now, the man on royalty pays only for what he receives, and if lie receives none, his expenses so far as interest on land cost and rates and taxes stops, but not so

with the owner of the land. Interest, rates and taxes go on whether he works his mill or not. To my mind, the wages are only a small matter. Certainly, a reduction in wages would be a help, but unless the market improves all we could expect of a reduction in wages will not improve things to the extent it is supposed to do. We have to meet a reduced market price of from £6 to £7 per ton less than what it was two years ago, and our f.o.b. charges have increased by nearly another 20s a ton, and it is costing most millers working off the Makerua swamp another 20s a ton for increased rates. Now, Sir, these charges cannot be known to the Union, or if they are known they are brushed aside as not wor-thy-of their notice. Yet the miller has to foot the bill. I believe evrey miller is right up against it as well ns every worker, and I believe the former lias the worst row to hoe. I am certain every miller is equally as anxious to start milling as the men are to see the mills working again, and any real move upward in the market will meet the ease far better than a reduction in wages.—Yours, etc. , INTERESTED. Sir, —Seeing that the Flaxmills’ Union will not agree to members working for 13/6 per day, will the Union make a grant from its funds to help support the wives and children of members instead of letting them appeal for charity. I suppose the Union has accumulated funds for such an emergency as this and now is the time to put the funds to good use. Talk is ' cheap but it won’t buy bread and groceries and pay rent. . Yours, etc., SUFFERER.