A CLOSE CORPORATION.

Taranaki Daily News, 11 July 1929, Page 6

A CLOSE CORPORATION.

(To the Editor).

“Live and let live’s” letter in a recent issue of the News reveals another phase of the class legislation existing in this country. It is difficult to believe that some. 200 men can band themselves together and create a monopoly of the work offering on the waterfront. What a reflection of the union who decide who shall have the right to earn a living are generally the first to cry the loudest about what they call the land monopoly. Everybody who perchance is making any headway is either a moni opolist or .a hated capitalist, yet the i law allows these some 200 to establish ' a monopoly of' tho work on the •waterfront. The position is monstrous. Those gentlemen of the union see to it that conditions are right and pay is right. “No competition’.’ is their motto, yet they are the first to demand competition in all lines outside their union—cheap boots, cheap fruit, cheap everything, for' these monopolists of the waterfront and at election time the wonderful Labour Party policy of freedom of action, the Right to Work Bill, the pet of Mr. Peter Eraser, M.P., yet the law allows some 290 labour unionists to establish a monopoly of work on the waterfront, and those monopolists have to have their morning and afternoon tea. Pool’ dears! Morning and afternoon tea for 200 men means at least quarter of an hour rest, or 50 hours in which no- work is done, and 50 hours per day for, say, 300 'days comes to £l5OO per annum for these gentlemen of the union, and so the cost of living is increased and a new demand for increased pay. Wonderful! And the unfortunate who cannot get into the union has to stand by and wait for the crumbs of work that is left after the gentlemen of the union have been provided for just 200! No more allowed within the circle, but the gentlemen of other unions from other towns can come hero on transfer and be allowed to join the happy throng, while tho local man is still standing' by . for a chance for the crumbs.

It is high time the plight of the Arbitration Court thafe establishes the grossly unfair conditions and hampers production was destroyed. The working man has no more right to absolute protection for- himself than any other section of the community. They and the hotels are protected from any kind of competition, only so many hours so much money. It is truly an amazing condition of affairs, and the sooner we come back to open competition and have the work done by contract the sooner will the cost of living be reduced. —I am, etc., “GIVIS.” New Plymouth, July 10.