THE EMPLOYERS ORGANISING

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XLVIII, Issue XLVIII, 11 February 1913, Page 2

THE EMPLOYERS ORGANISING

TO COMBAT SYNDICALISM. ■MATTERS TO Dili FT NO ' LONGER." The New Zealand Em/ployers Federation has issued, a memorandum, appealin <r to employers throughout New Zealand to combine for their own safety "against socialism and syndicalism," and to establish a defence fund. The work is already progressing, and is well forward. - The document, whose objective is very evident, has the following headlines: — "New Zealand Employers' Federation." "Urgent and in?pertrti.ve needs," "more organisation," "establishment of defence fund," "to combat socialism, syndicalism, and anarchy." The text of the appeal states that the future well-being of the Dominion and interests of all who have stake in the -ountry are seriously threatened, by the ..•ver-iiicreasing-- aggressiveness of labour

parties, winch cannot be denied, unless the employers and those whose interests are in jeopardy combine and organise to con? bat tne fallacies of socialism and syndicalism. It is .manifest that in a short time our industries and our politics will be in the hands of irresponsible persons, who will wage class war. This cannot be allowed. The employers must i-ease from drifting, and organise more effectively. At the last annual general meeting of the New Zealand Employers' Federation it was...unanimously decided to improve, extend and consolidate the organisation of .employers, with a, view to giving full effect, to the ahove decision, and the Advisory Board was in:tructedi to appoint one or two organisers, and to use its ..best endeavours to increase the effectiveness of the work of To this end the Advisory Board has decided to appoint Mr. N. .Me liable, of Waihi, who is at present editor and part proprietor of the Waihi '"Daily Telegraph - ' newspaper ,as assistant secretary, and M.r. R. A. Armstrong, <;£ Auckland, as organiser. Mr. Armstrong has already proved himself an i rganispr of no. mean ability. In addition it has been found absolutely necessary to have increased office, assistance, and mor<; suitable office appliances and accommodation. The Advisory Board also hopes to be in a position to secure spaces in daily newspapers ,say once a week, for pur- I poses of exposing many of the fallacies enunciated by labour- leaders, to publish reliable statistics and general information in the interests of organisation, and particularly to deal with proposed legislative enactments. The Advisory Board estimates the annual cost of proposals at about £2500. a vcr\ rrodest sum in comparison with the many thousands spent annually by the labour parties. Then in addition to the..above it is imperative that the defence fund should be estab--l:_*hed to meet contingencies as thev arrive, and which in the past have had to b i met by personal canvass: Altogether ut will be seen, that a sum of afc least £SCOO per annum is necessary to inaugurate a forward movement, a sum that be -easily attained if employers realise the true position of ih:ngs. The Advisory Board, acting under instruction of the annual meeting of the [•".■ deration, now calls upon large employers of labour to pay into this fund 2s- 6d per annum for every hundred pounds of wages paid. Professional men, merchants, sheepow.ners, farmers, property owners, etc., are appealed to for as liberal an annual subscription as the circumstances of the case demand. The appeal points out. that every Trades Unionist pays annually into the funds | of labour organisations not less-than 6d per week. iTi addition to special levies; strike pay. etc., thus averaging from £1 10s to £2. -'*"■!