Dunedin Doings and Undoings

Maoriland Worker, Volume 5, Issue 170, 6 May 1914, Page 8

Dunedin Doings and Undoings

You have asked mc to give S.D.P. members some idea of the position- in Dunedin. I would first point out that the 1890 strike occurred in Dunedin. The names of those who were militant at that time still stand for something •n the workers' ears- Those who were "sane/ at that timo have pawed put of the memory of the working class movement-. Some of the. "militants" boweve.r, such as Mr. Be/eher, are still if not "in 'tlie movement" at least in office. They are, if not: a-.agonic. c/t.Q the S.D.P , cold and indifferent. When wo approach tbe workers, quite frequently we. are referred to. th«jse men a* the proper Labour leaders.. If we suggest, that they are not now giving service we are at once asked what are we doing in comparsioh with, what they did. Remember if you'can. that, tliese. lne.n stood tbo. heat and burden at that. time, were, called: agitator ~ SoQialistte, anarchists*, etc., etc.., _he word syndicalist no* then being known. The papers at that time, were- full of abuse of them. Following this the.ro wm consi(^e.rable J pQ-tic-al. activity among the. lwQrke.cs;, greatec results were Qbtained in Dnnedin than any other centre, and if pressure had been ke.pt up and if communication he.twe.en thesa men sent to Parliamejit. and the Unions, had be/in kept close «nd firm, progress; would have been made from that time; to this.. This to explain, why Dunedin is so very far behind. However, it is no use. crying over spilt -nilk, and these men if not. overtly antagonistic, are certainly covertly ref.cac.tocy. Consequently, it has. impo.is.ible to have unions fairly consider tho. matter of affiliation to the S-D-P- It. is., however, neee.ss.ary for the Dunedin Branch in order to have. th> worker. act aa one. in the November e'e-tic'i)*- and te have the. backing of the Unions, to fc.rm a Provisional Council. A conference is; to be held on. May 7. Era cy night Unions have, been waited upon by members; of the S.D.P as. well as by delegates from the old Trade*. Connc:i, the first to have Unions send delegates, to this conference, in orlej to form a Provisional Council, and. the. latter in the effort: to have the. Un : c»3. Ksiffiliate to the old Trg-'es CouncilAt this date, the Unions to be repre--ented and delegates appointed by thorn are as follows:, Bakers—George. Bewley, B. Davis, A. Ei own. Butchers—J. L. Hannon, J. Sutherland, J. Fearnlev. Bricklayers —R. Lunglerv, G. Dryden. Jas. Hilton. Carpenter-—F. Evans, W. Nsedbam, W. Challedner, Ed. Kell.tt. C-nister Workers—H. Wells, G. A. Pay ton, C. Hetberington. Coppersmiths and Sheet-plate—W Bawkkead* N. Gordon, V. N. Dickinson. Drivers (Horse) —J. Dunn, J. Scitt. VY. E. J. Maguire. Electrical Workers—D. Weir, D J. Wheeler, A. Scott. Engineers—R. J. Johnston, F. Fowl, H. Walker (jun.), T. J. Payton. Engine. Drivere—W. G. Crawford, D. Wilson. Furniture Workers—l. Silverstone, H. M. Stewart, W. J. Rnstan. Metal Workers—M. Winning, W. Woltersdorf. Plasterers-F. Johnston, A. Gamphall, C. Simmons Plumbers—F. E. Harridge, J. Ddummond. Rangeworkers—H. R. Murrow, E. Lockstone, T Ridell. Stage. Employees?—R. Rush. Labourers—S. Boreham,. J. Riley, C. W. Fisher, M. Allen. As for tbe others, Paul carries the Typographical round in his pocket, so far as- one can judge, by tbe actions, of that Union. Ferguson keeps the Lithographers in his waistcoat pocket, and Breen retains the. Hotel. Workers in his fob. The Bottlers: and Cordial Workers, and the Farriers' Union, formed by Mr. McManus, are now under the autocracy'of Maguire. The Pressers are. generally attached to R. Slater a watch chain. The' Seamen's Union, are in. Belcher's hands. Now, it ia not. meant, that these men are doing this of evil pfurpose.; it is simply that they i are horn reactionaries, and are not j capable- of seeing the step -that. it. iaj now necessary to take; they are steepled in routine- and absolutely lack initiative- When the. Unions: have, been brought: into lina and have been affili- | atbed with the.S.D".P. or with the U.FIL. just, such men as. these, will bet ne__ie<__ to do this routine, work; probably theflft same mon will still continue to do it;; none, of cut mart desire, to. take the, work from them, but. men who. are ur_kfea.d cannot ha permitted to: rule: Uhions : in: the autocratic, way, as hasbeen done, by them in.the past; nei-_a_. can they be per_nMed ; to' exchangaUnions: among thfln_s__.e_ so. that always, they keep, all this, group of; backward Unions, eron more backward than -here: is.- «Ny necessity for. In addition to these, the Bootmakers- will almost certainly send delegates.; the General Labourers have just electod their delegates. The. Moulders, are endeavouring to. go. into the. U.F.L. as. a Federation. The; Secretary- of tha Slaughtermen informed the ; writer that, that body was. not a- Union, r-oit- yet baring been registered—that, it consist-r----ed of the: men who came in after the:strikers had gone. out. Thia is not thet only Union in that oandit'on. Thet Tailors informed our. delegates that from I they would, not. havo politiost in their "Union.; apparently this: group, are still surrounded in tho clouds- of medievalism. The Tramway men gave, our dele-: gates, a splendid reception, and to all appearances it was certain that, they were, coming with us, As ; far as we. can ascertain a. small scratch meeting was arranged and the proposal to be represerrted was turned down. The Waterside Workers are still in a state of confusion, but. will almost certainly send delegates The. Tailores-es, it. will be remembered, sent Paul to the July Congress: he has. always boen helpful to them in matters-of 'routine. Their secretary is: a- well-intentioned woman, but if Mrs Donaldson, with her tact and knowledge of the real Labour movement,

could bo. spaicd fo; , work among Ihi! Dunediu unimnsts, then tlieso would be in. tha S.DJ?. instead of with the Massey-Paul disrupting local abbettors.

Arthur McCarthy