“NOT FAIRLY TREATED”

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXVII, Issue 8612, 24 December 1913, Page 6

“NOT FAIRLY TREATED”

SEAMEN AND THE FEDERATION. CONDEMNATION' OF MR YOUNGA GRAVE INJUSTICE. • The members of the executive of the Federation of Labour who are in Wellington made’" the following statement concerning tho calling off of the strike to a “New Zealand Times” reporter yesterday:— - - During the currency of the strike repeated assurances had been given by tho federation executive that no settlement of a sectional character would be effected. It was maintained all the time that any settlement arrived at with the employers would coyer all engaged in the struggle. Despite this assurance a sectional settlement was arrived at by tho seamen without the consent of representatives of other bodies involved. Although the delegates attending the meetingin AVoiLington held for tho purpose of discussing tho position knew that negotiations were in progress between the seamen’s delegates and the shipping companies, nevertheless tho repeated statements of the seamen’s representatives that they would not he parties to a sectional settlement were accepted in all good faith. Acting upon this tho plans oi conference were arranged. It is simply ridiculous for Mr Smith, of tho Dunedin seamon, or any other person to state, that the federation decided to call tho strike off on December loth. The statement is not true. There was no resolution to call the strike off until after the seamen had decided to return to work. These are tho facts as disclosed by the official records. AVe claim that wo were not treated fairly, by the seamen’s delegates. AVe feel still further that in acting as they did these delegates did not represent the feeling of the seamen of New Zealand. Since the decision of \he seamen necessitated immediate action so far as the watersiders and others were concerned, the delegates, together with the Federation Executive, on Friday, December 19th, passed. a resolution to call the strike off as from the 20th inst. Since that time there has been a tendency on tho part of certain people to shoulder the responsibility for the calling off of the strike upon the shoulders of Mr AV. T. Young. Wo want to say in all fairness to Air Young, and would here intimato_ that tho whole of this statement is made without his know-ledge or consent, that he has given ns to understand that in the negotiations with the employers and tho subsequent decision to sign a sectional settlement for the seamen, ho was not a party thereto. During the whole course of the dispute Air Young was as emphatic as any other member of the executive that a sectional agreement would be most, undesirable. AA’o accept without equivocation the assurances of Air Young that ho did not know of the intention of the Aucklanr and Dunedin seamens’ delegates to sign up irrespective of any other group of workers, including even tho Wellington seamen, until Air Jack, of Auckland, informed Alossrs Hickey and Dowgray of tho intention, on December 19th. Such being the case, wo ’ believe a very grave injustice has .been done Air Young. It often happens that at tho conclusion of an industrial battle cernation is deserved, and sometimes not. tain people are picked out for special condemnation. Sometimes the condemIn tho case of Air Young wo believe tho latter to h© the case. We make this statement, believing it to bo true and to clear from the name of one who has fought long in the Labour movement, condemnation that wo feel is not deserved-