CONCILIATION.

Colonist, Volume LVI, Issue 13448, 2 June 1914, Page 3

CONCILIATION.

(To the Editor of "The Colonist.")

Sir, —Regarding Mr J. E. Skilton'a letter in your issue of .yesterday under tho heading of "Conciliation," I am afraid I cannot quite follow his reasoning in connection with tho strikes he names. Referring to the Wuihi strike, Mr Skilton tolls us Sir Joseph Ward sent one of his Ministers, who talked "conciliation. Result: men at work next day.". The Waihi strike began on May 13th; 1912, and had been in existence eight week© and two days when Mr Massey came into power. H© says: "Another strike occurred on the West Coast and our member went "and talked conciliation. Result: men at work in a day or two." I presume he refers to the Reef ton strike. It commenced on May 18th, 1912, and continued up to the time the Massey Government came into existence, having run then for 17 weeks and 4 days. Again: "In the tramway strike in Wellington Sir Joseph Ward went amongst tho men and talked conciliation, and the men were at work next day." I admit Sir Joseph Ward settled the tramway strike, but he. did it by giving in to the men all round, and many contend that _ his weak-kneed attitude on that occasion had much to do with the watersiders' strike last year. Sir Joseph Ward now tells us he could have settled the latter in two days either by "secret ballot" or the Riot Act. Would Mr Skilton describe the latter as "conciliation?" And if we go back say twenty years, we find that during that time the first strike is recorded as hay-1 ing taken place in 1906, the year Sir. Joseph Ward became Prime Minister, and between then and his resigning in I 1912 them were sixty-three strikes.] From this one surely may be excused j for doubting the efficacy of his conciliatory tactics as far as preventing strikes is concerned, or his boasted power of stopping the Wellington wharf strike in two days. Mr Skilton's figures also in connection with his Post Office Savings Bank deposits are not very clear, beyond his accusing Mr Massey of having reduced the interest. The facts are that the rates now are 3£- per cent, on sums up to £300 and 3 per cent, from £300 to £1000, as compared with the old rates of 3^ per cent, up to £300 and 3;} per cent, from £300 to £600. Mr Skilton therefore gets now i per cent, more than formerly on his money up to; £300. The only men who can have a grievance are those having deposits for the higher amounts up to £1000, and I don't think the scheme is meant so much for them as for tho man of small savings. 1 am, etc., R. P. HUDSON. Marlow, Motueka, May 30th.