THE PRINTERS' STRIKE.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 7568, 20 May 1886, Page 4

THE PRINTERS' STRIKE.

TO THE EDITOR.

I Sic,—Explanation usually begets explanation. 1 ne_statements in' your 'issue tins morning by? .the Manager are incorrect in' one or two'particulars. Firstly; in "reference to the manager's^ , distinct recollection" of what was said'on the" occasion when a deputation waited on"him 'in r December last,' in regard to' a proposedr 5: per cent: reduction. The deputation, after express-" mg entire sympathy with the company consei' quent upon' the effects, of the then existing' depression; asked Mr Fenwick if he would - mention; any' stated time when the; deductiofi' would cease. The deputation in questiori) whicH consisted of four members of the companion1-1' ship, distinctly remember Mr Fenwick s'ayirijrt' ? VeryweUi'then,' let it be for. 12 months," and - have not the slightest recollection of having' mentioned anything concerning a further ie-' duction. At the time of "proposing the" 10' per cent, reduction Mr Fenwick told' the depii-" tation that he was acting in accordance "with a" resolution of the directors in the matter': ' This ' does not coincide with his statement "in'this morning's paper that he was acting on his own responsibility on behalf-of the'shareholders. Secondly: In reference to' the "preposterous statement" that the compositors were paid "barely Is per hour." Oh -this head it would be well your, readers should understand that the average earnings of the compositors all round is £3 10s, and that for this amount they work 70 to 72 hours per week.? The compositors usually start at 7.30 in the evening, and seldom leave off before 4 and often 5 and 6in the morning. Added to this they have to work from three to four hours during the ;i afternoon; This is the average of the hours: worked by compositors in the Times office, arid' their average earnings when employed on full time. We may also state .that the menoh day work have been included in this reduction; which v brings their wages from £3 to £2 14s per week for which they have to work eight hours per" day.—Signed on behalf of the companionship, ■••■■" I ■ r Tjr , P. C, Bentley, Father. :■; , Memo.—We have shown the Managing Director this letter.and he replies: "What the writer of ' the letter now asserts, as to the timefor which the? five percent, reduction was to remain in force, in no way conflicts with the statements he attempts ■ to criticise. .It is perfectly correct, that11 said' V Very well,then, letit befortwelvemonths',"but Mr Bentley forgets to say that I added,« and the •- - matter can then be reconsidered," as I did not wish the deputation to leave, without knowing^ that it was quite a matter for consideration=whether the deduction should not be continued ■ after the twelve months had expired.; : It-was most certainly not stated by me that the reduc-* tion would cease on the expiry of the twelve'"' months, as Mr Bentley.puts it. The memory of Mr Bentley, as well as those of the other: mem- ?: bers of the deputation, appears to be as defective * on this point as it is on other matters. (2) Then as to my statement to the deputation.that I was acting in accordance with a resolution of the Directors in intimating the 10 per cent, reduction: ' not tallying with my subsequent statement in the- - letter you published for me—or as Mr Bentley'" chooses to put it (in language that is notmine)"' that I was "acting on my own responsibility' on behalf of the shareholders,"—l can only say that I am astonished that even Mr Bentley" cannot see that all that I said was perfectly"' consistent. I said "I should not "have been t'. doing my duty to the shareholders if I had not taken steps to ensure as far as I could"a.fair" profit on the Company's operations." 'As a matter of course I acted on my own responsibility, in the first instance, and submitted my proposals to my co-directors, and they were adopted. (3) As to Mr Bentley's reiteration of the absurd statement that the compositors have' earned barely Is. per hour, I can only say that if this is so, and that as they have been employed on piece-work at the highest rate per 1000 paidin the colony, there must: have been some"" terribly slow hands among them, and that itwould be wise policy on their part to keep their ■ deficiencies in the background. It may possibly have been scarcely worth while to have written so fully in answer to Mr, Beutley, but this now ends my share of the correspondence on - the subject. In conclusion I can' only; ■ say that I deeply regret that a number - of married men with families dependents on them should have committed the folly.of : throwing up good situations at the dictation of three or four prominent trades-union ringleaders, and against their own wiser inclinations. I regret it the more because they have not "now thfe opportunity of resuming work, most of their places having been filled.—l am, &c.j

Geobge Fenwick.

The following correspondence on the subject of the strike passed between the Typographical Association and the Managing Director of the Daily Times yesterday :— Coffee Palace, Dunedin, May 19th, 1886. Dear. Sib, —The local Branch of the Typographical Association, desirous that no effort shall be wanting on their part to bring about an amicable settlement of the unfortunate difference between yourself and the late employes of the Company, request that you will state a convenient hour this evening when a deputation may wait upon you. The proposed deputation will consist of the President and Secretary of the Branch, and Messrs Baird, O'Neill, and Lye It is thought probable that the result of this deputation may be that an arrangement will be come to which will prove to be mutually satisfactory.—l remain, yours obediently, H. E. Mum, Secretary, O tago Branch Branch N.Z. Typo. Ass' n. G. Fenwick, Esq., Manager, Otago Daily Times Company. The Secretary Otago Branch New Zealand Typographical Association. Sin, —I have to acknowledge receipt of your letter of even date. I cannot recognise the right of the Typographical Association to in anyway interfere in the management of this coin--pany's business. The dispute which has unfortunately arisen is between tho company's employes and myself only, and I must therefore decline to receive any . deputation from the Typographical Association.—l am, &c, George Fenwick, Managing Director O.D.T. and W. N. Co., Ltd. May 19,1556.