The Wanganui Chronicle FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 14, 1930. THE LOUD ALLIANCE

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 73, Issue 423, 14 November 1930, Page 6

The Wanganui Chronicle FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 14, 1930. THE LOUD ALLIANCE

yiiE New Zealand Alliance ot Labour seems to have lost all sense of proportion in threatening - the Government with the anarchistic conduct in that the co-operation of some unians with the Government to operate the Unemployment. Act will be lacking and even illegal action in the matter of withholding unemployment levies will be advocated, if the views of the Alliance are not acceded to. It must be remembered that the Alliance of Labour does not and cannot speak for the whole of the wageearners of the community. There are opproximately 300.000 persons gainfully employed in New Zealand, while those enrolled as members of industrial unions of workers comprise somewhere about 104.000 persons. Duplicate enrolments are included in this figure so the actual number of trades union members is something less than 104.000. Assuming that the Alliance of Labour could speak for the whole of this 104.000 it. could not even then have any moral ground for obstructing legislation passed by Parliament and designed to benefit the workers. The concession that all trades unionists arc at one with the Alliance of Labour, however, could not be made. This is revealed by the voting at the last election. 88 per cent, of tho.se on the electoral roll exercised their votes, and seeing that the Reform Party secured the largest share of votes east and that the United Party secured the next largest, it is quite evident that many trade unionists must have supported these two parties and not the party with which the Alliance of Labour is identified. But the process of deduction does not stop here. Even within the ranks of the Trades Unionist movement, as a movement, the Alliance of Labour cannot be regarded as a mouthpiece of a predominant section even. The 'Wellington Trades Union Council has endeavoured to put right the harm done by the threats of the Alliance by pointing out that at a meeting of forty union delegates a resolution was carried recommending - affiliated unions to nominate Messi’s Bromley and Cornwell as workers’ representatives on the Unemployment Board. Without waiting for a further meeting the Alliance took it upon itself to urge the unions to protest against the method of election. This action appears to be not a genuine move but one that is inspired by the desire, to obtain the nomination of others than the two gentlemen mentioned. The Alliance of Labour, it is pointed out, appointed two representatives to the Unemployment Committee which Mr Coates set up, the Alliance not consulting a single union. The Alliance also suggested that Mr J. Roberts be nominated by the unions as the workers’ representative to attend the International Labour Confcrenee. The Minister, Mr Veitch, decided on a vote on those nominated. The Alliance of Labour is evidently trying to bounce the trade unionists, and as it is claimed that the unions incorporated in the Alliance represent about 15 per cent, of the trade unionists it is possible that members of the Alliance unions that support the Alliance represent about five per cent, of all the trades unionists in the country, or about 1.4 per cent, of the population gainfully employed. This indicates what a small berry the Alliance really is. It is a pity that the Ministers who received the deputation did not treat the threats in the way they deserved.