TRADES UNIONISTS AND STATE APPOINTMENTS.

Otago Witness, Issue 2761, 13 February 1907, Page 57

TRADES UNIONISTS AND STATE APPOINTMENTS.

MR MILLAR REFUSES TO BE DICTATED TO..

CFaou Oub Own Co»bespoxdent ) WELLINGTON. F-bruarv A depnUtional interview. »W'; ''" -w Z-iland Times describe* as probably uniq-ua in Ministerial experience, iook i^aec ....« last evening The Minuter of Labour was waited upon by members of the Welliujrton labour unions legardirg the recent appomt- • iu--nt at the four chief en ties of inspectors under the Inspection of Scaffolding Act. The loader of the deputation said they wished to protest againat the apointments on the ground that three out of the four inspectors— those at Auckland, Wellington and Dunedin— were non-unionists, and on the ground of insufficient experience -in scaffolding work. One speaker asked what was the use of asking employers to Rive preference to unionists when the Government that the unions supported turned round and appointed non-unionists? Employers would wink the other eve. The Minister regretted that, having pai^sed the bill at their request, the union had come to take this attitude. His one object was to appoint the men who seemed to be best qualified for the position. He thought his whole life would show that he bad been a unionist right through. Not many men had suffered more in connection with unionism than he. Some members of the deputation here ex pressed ascent, but cue remarked, You have not followed it out oince you ha-\e been appointed.' 1 The Minister replied that no Government ever bad been, or ever could be. committed to the policy that unionists alone should receive employment from it. All sections of the community were entitled to receive employment from the Government, whether unionist or non-unionist. The Government were trustees for the people as a whole, not for one particular eeetion. He, as Minister of Labour, was always ready to receive suggestions from either unions of employees or unions of employers in the interests of the people as a whole. The MinKter was subjected io oon&iderable interruption bom a member of the deputation, who for some time resisted all the efforts of his colleagues to keep him quiet, «nd at one time Mr Millar threatened to close the deputation. When tb-e Minister, who exhibited remarkable patience, asserted that the appointees would be kept in their positions until it was proved that they were not practical men, Mr Kennedy said, " Your time ie very bhori."

"It may be short," replied the Minister, T at Timaru. owing to a lank falling upon" "but while lam here I ( won't accept dicta- him, death afterwards taking place as a Cion from anyone outside this office as to „e suU of fhe amputa tion of the limb. Conwhom I shall appo.'nt and as to whom I , , , , • r,. r , • ,-, Khali dismiss. They w*ll remain m the posi- siderablc sympathy is felt for his mother, tions until it is proved that they are not Mrs D. Fyffe, a highly respected resident qualified for them When that happens I of Milburn. will tell them to go , but no one outside will J William and Patrick Casserly were tell me to tell them to go." I brothers, the former being about 22 years Mr Concnie : >\ c don t ask you to dis- , , , . , __ o . ' miss any man We simply entered our ° f . a * e and the a «er about 25 or 27 years, protest. We have no animosity against A hey wore both unmarried, and are the these men. la fact, we don't know them. sons of William Casserly. of Fairfax, near

Mr Kennedy: Isn't it a fact that all these men are Freemasons?

Mr Conchie . We didn't come here to insult you.

The "Minister : I am sure you would not do that.

Mr Conehie-said they only wanted to get the best men. for the position. The deputation was quite satisfied with the Minister's explanation. He apologised on behalf of the deputation for remarks that had been made.

At this stage Mr Kcnnedv left the room, saying: "As a Minister of Labour voti promised to do things which you have not done when you had the opportunity."