The Star. TUESDAY, JANUARY 7, 1902. AN INJUDICIOUS ACTION.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 7295, 7 January 1902, Page 2

The Star. TUESDAY, JANUARY 7, 1902. AN INJUDICIOUS ACTION.

It is well for tflio cause of the workers that all Unions are not imbued! with the ieelings -which dominate the Thames Miners' Union. A case taken by that Union to the Arbitration Court produced a decision unpalatable to its members. In a similar case, we hope and believe, nine* out of ten Unions would have accepted the inevitable, and! bowed to the [ decision of the Court. But the Thames Miners' Union is not like other Unions. Instead 1 oft making the best of a ■bad: job it resorted) to fhe extremely iaijudious expedient of complaining to the Minister of Justice. i Ho>w ill-advised it -was to take this course, no doubt it is now beginning to realise. It must now feel that not only was such conduct calculated to alienate any sympathy . which otherwise might have been extended to it by well-wishers oi the Labour, cause, but also that it la-id" itself open to a welldeserved snub from the Minister. Every impartial outsider will agree that in administering that snub Mr M'Gowan took the only line that was open to him. The Union had committed a grave impropriety in complaining to him, when it 'had! really no cause for complaint, and it hadi aggravated! 1 its tfaulb by impugning the honour of a Judge who is universally respected throughout the colony. Under these circumstances, it is not surprising that the Minister told it in unmeasured terms what he thought of its action. For our part, we regret bitterly that the Union chose to adopt the attitude it took up. As loyal supporters of the causa of the worker®, we are unfeignedly sorry when they ' 'allow themselves -.to perpetrate a blundier which is bound to react on themselves. The mistake made by the Thames Miners' Union is calculated not only to^fbrow discredit upoli Trades Unionism, but also to impair the efficiency of the present system of setI tlimg toad© disputes.