MORE ABOUT FLAX.

Manawatu Times, Volume LXV, Issue 664, 13 March 1909, Page 5

MORE ABOUT FLAX.

MILLS CLOSING DOWN

Three of the six strippers at Work at Mirauui are to be dosed clown next week, alto A. & L. Seiferts' mills at Piaka. It is understood that Gardner's mill at Kopnterua is also to close down and it is possible, that the two mills of the Kopnterua Fibre Oopmany will also shut down Jater. This would mean about ITS men being thrown . out. of employment. Low prices and unsatisfactory conditions are the reasons for the step. The danger apart from the heavy wage loss, is that European manufacturers who cannot set continuous supplies of N.Z. hemp will ohauge their niaohinery and use othei fibres permanently.

THE UNION AND MR AKERS.

To Editor Manawatu Daily Times. Sir,~We wish to point out to Mr Akers that there is no question ,of this Union merely being "expeoted" to pay its secretary. His salary is paid fortnightly and as long as the Union is satisfied with the return they get for the money we do not see that Mr Akers has any ground for oomplaint on this soore. However, to set your correspondent's mind thoroughly at ease upon this matter we will explain that the letters so largely distributed above Mr Robinson's signature voioed the official views of this Union and were oarefully considered by the Management Committee before being despatched- Onr only reason for setting them above our secretary's signature was that it is not every employer who oan preserve a jndioial mind in considering oorrespoudenc&signed by an employee. {Signature by a salaried offloial remove's any temptation for an employer to give aotive expression to his distaste for literary efforts on the part of his men! We" would ask Mr Akers whether we have ever aooused any man who has spent "thousands of pounds in growing flax" of "bleeding" the industry? How'many of the estates with whiohjwe dealt have spent anything like these figures in cultivation of the produot? We accept without any surprise the statement that under the agreement now in force no oharge was made for outting rights, Will Mr Akers assure os that in the case of at lease one mil! this oharge of £3OO was not paid on the ohange of ownership? We await with interest his reply to this.' In oonolnsion we would most strongly depredate tho personal tone Which Mr Akers has introduced into the matter. There is an old legal aphorism, "No case—abuse plaintiff'b attorney" whloh Is, wo consider,' more honored in the breaoh than the observanooe and we oan only regret that your correspondent has had to adopt these rather questionable taotics.-We are, eot., A. SYLVA, Vice-President, R.JOHNSTON, W. J. JAMIESON, RICHARD H. DALHOUSIE, ~ ALBERT DUDSON, Management Committee of Manawatn Flaxmills Employees' Union.

KAIL' NOTICE,

Mails will olose at Palmerston North as under: The next Amerloan and Canadian mail will olose on 15th Maroh. W.T.WARD, Postmaster.