WOOLLEN -MILLS FOR, NELSON

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LVI, 15 August 1924, Page 7

WOOLLEN -MILLS FOR, NELSON

(To the Editor)

Sir,—ln Monday night's Alai) R. Sinclair went out of bis. way to attack organised labour. Does lie know that the negotiation of a wool draft on London costs more than the shearing of the sheep. The following figures from the .New Zealand Year Book may be of interest > they arc for 1922. the latest available. "There were. 12 woollen mills in New Zealand. Hie Value of the land, buildings, machinery arid plant was £670,086, equal to £1551840 each. The value, of the product was £1,229,829, vitw material accounted for £555,529, quantity of wool purchased 8/183,1401b5, salaries and wages paid to 2500 employees £364,105. The product amounted to £347 for each £IOO paid ill wages. 1 am, etc., T: \V; FORSTER.

(To the Editor.!

&)*'•, —it is a great- pity your correspondent, Mr R. Sinclair, lias let himself down so low in his letter concerning the above, having left off talking of wool and mills ho is now giving vent to Ids anger concerning unionism or federation a-s it- is called to-day. i, as a worker, protest, Sir, at tile remarks he makes Use of as uncalled for and absolutely incorrect. I feel that ’■Vo would bo in a -sorry plight to-day if wo had no unions when dealing, which wo all have to, with the high prices ruling, and t am sorry to say it-would bo the Is to Is 3d per hour, with many longer hours to work, which was received when Air .Sinclair started in business in Nelson some 16 years ago, but with more than double to pay for food, clothing, etc., not to mention rents. Why, Sir, the big business men have told me that they do not blame ally cl the workers handing together into a union, thereby making it collective bargaining for right wages

instead of individual 'bargaining. There surely, Sir, is nothing devilish, as Mr Sinclair says, about this, wher both sides agree to an award at tilt Conciliation Council. or the round table, as it is sometimes called, then taken to the Arbitration Court, signed by the representatives of both parties, which makes it binding for the number of years agreed upon, and if either side individually or collectively break that agreement let them suffer according to the laws of the, land and take the consequences of their wrong doing. Ifc was our late Premiers It al- - and Seddon who introduced and made this possible for the workers, and they are the majority of our Dominion, and surely, Sir. it is better to pay a man (especially the -one who is rearing the coming man and womanhood of our Dominion) a living wage

than keep his purchasing power so loiv as to make it impossible for him to buy any other than what will keep hotly and soul together. The United States of America (especially Henry Ford) has found this out to their own benefit. I am glad to say and know thoso former days have passed away never to return, when a man ■ was a slave for a mere pittance, crushed and subdued because his hunger compelled him to take any wage a dishonest employed offered him. his right kept back by fraud, the Scripture says when referring to the labourer and his hire. I am rather surprised Mr Sinclair has

•said so many bitter things about unionism and the workers, I am, etc.. DEMOCRATIC.