LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

New Zealand Herald, Volume LIV, Issue 16538, 14 May 1917, Page 7

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

'—— ——♦—■■""'' •"'.' ! THE TRAWLING ' CASE. ' Sir '— Mr /, Sanford ; , has ; : for years past posed as a socialist and a;friend'of the workintr classes, but at last he has shown himelf .., in his colours. % His virulentattack on', the members of my union will prove, to the working class of the: com-

munity Just how, good a friend he really is. From the very beginning Mr. Sanford ha s been bitterly opposed to tho formation of a Fishermen--: and Trawler Employees' Industrial ■ Union - of.: Workers," and has done all in his power to try and crush them, and this from a professed friend of Labour!' Mr.; Sanford has made a statement in Court to tho effect that there was a lot of; trouble on, the part of the handline men; to this I give : . the lie direct, and challenge Mr. Sanford to substantiate his statement.' ■- As, to the 'alleged conspiracy on the < part of the Kaipara and Thames fishermen, all - these men ask -is . what Sanford apparently "denies them, viz'., j ."the right to,- exist." No doubt it i$ ! annoying to Mr. Sanford that in the near I future a fair rate of wage for a fair day's 1 work v will ;be granted, and at last the fishermen . will receive ; the consideration that they are justly entitled to. ■.. I do not I for one moment think the fishermen or the j public generally /will take the contents 6f I Mr. Sanford's evidence before the Court i seriously; any person with reasonable i thinkinir ~ ability knows that these men < have always been poorjy paid for their j labour. As for the statement of suspicious i kircs and sinking of ships and other acts of piracy, Mr. Sanford should be forced to produce more direct 'evidence to a Court before he is allowed' to cast, aspersions upon a reputable and respectable body of men. .."/-, H. E. Bauxsley,, Secretary Auckland Fishermen and Trawler / Employees' .<. Industrial " Union x>f Workers. ,>■ /'vV-y^'''•■■ .. • Trades Hall, Auckland, May 14. .'■ ' -ESSENTIAL INDUSTRIES. ,' \ 1 Sir,—Mr. . Moorhouße, chairman of the Wellington Military Service Board, is reported to have said when dealing with 'he apparent momentous question of: the c"ay " That where 100 men are ;required for a business and 200 menl are employed wo are not;going to leave all those men there.'' Is _ such ; a state * of: things ) should really exist .at Wellington I their industries . must be run on purely philanthropic lines, probably, due to Jucrativo contracts. . ( Up tin's way we /appear/to be of a more grasping . character and work ■ our i industries on

commercial lines,;, as we are ; taxed j for charitable ■ purposes, and ' have no lucrative contracts. | The only public institution that I know of where a surplus of labour exists is already 'in uniform, but'not ! for service abroad, r though fit \ would ' not - hesitate ' at the opportunity;if allowed. * ;. '■ '; At present our market has a surplus* of wisdom of a -more obtuse : sample • than what was stocked in the days of Solomon. For instance, we .find boot manufacturers, etc.,. outlining how mills, bakeries/:,and milk industries should be conducted, and I fail to see,why those industries should not suggest how • the ] boot industry should be run as well as the V disposal of its output. The next conundrum to be placed cii the market is ;to prevent overlapping in business: and deliveries,'' If jit is solved and given effect to it means ; that the suburban one'■"'•. will h become close corporations or

monopolies, then : good-bye to the city ones. How would : this stupid,' crude,, innovation affect city values/ rating, . etc.? ; If applied to labour ; in, all its , phases .what; would be. the outcome? Sometimes, I think we are unknowingly' drifting j into the.; millennium era,. as we are .warned, about false prophets, etc. Why not. leave commerce alone, as it will always adapt itself to the exigencies, before it no matter what they may be? : At present our export trade-is practically paralysed for the want of shipping. ? Why allow experimenting for the sake of notoriety to intensify the feeling of. unrest" in town 'and country? Let us devote our attention 'and; energies'sto;. the growing ~\ of the \ essential " cereal and < make preparations to put' our soldier lads on suitable areas ' of land \ where /, they - can make a living without enduring further hardships, as we shall, owe ■ the salvation of - this • Dominion to their, prowess.; V.-, ;. ,-..^'..,,:•-. |s.je i.:'<:' •;.»:; P. Virtue. ;