W MCAELBY.

9

I.—6a

knowing that no other union can be formed to usurp their functions. This particular union would simply bask in the sunshine, but you will be continuously persecuted by its members, or rather by those who would get disgusted with that union's ineptitude. Therefore it must be positively clear to you that you have no right to be the guardian of any union, but that particular union should be its own guardian. Let the Amalgamated Society prove to its members that it is a very useful body and they can rest assured that the members' common-sense will teach them whether it a more beneficial to remain in it or not. Certainly it is not your business. lam now going to touch briefly upon the scheme winch has just recently been dangled before your eyes by the Amalgamated Society The scheme 1 refer to is known as the departmental representation 7 scheme On behalf oi the members of this union 1 absolutely refuse to touch this scheme. The scheme is in no way beneficial to the locomotive-men, and never would be. The members of this union emphatically decline to entertain the idea in any shape or form. It is simply useless to ask our members to accept it in any way and there is not the slightest possible chance of our members agreXg to it Our members are determined to gain recognition for their union, and resent to the fullest extent any tactics of the Amalgamated Society to coerce members of Parliament into blocking our recoT mtion Departmental representation has never proved a success in any country, and never wil! But before I proceed further I must draw your attention to the fact that two of the locomotive-men opposing us to-day are also opposed to departmental representation. Then why is an being made to foist this scheme upon this union's members. It is simply preposterous Dols it not appear to you as being very hypocritical on these members' part to urge you to coerce us back into the Amalgamated Society through this scheme, which the leaders of the Society, who are also ocomotive-men, do not believe in themselves. I again state to you on behalf of the members o? this union that they will not entertain this scheme for one moment. A large maiorityof our members have resigned from the Amalgamated Society, and it is absolutely useless to think that hey are again going to join that body under any pretence whatever All that has been saidlbv the representatives of the Amalgamated Society in regard to resigning, &c, is simply bombast and is all done for the purpose of delaying our recognition. That lam certain of' P fow ftant to refer to the statements being made that only a few of the locomotive-men have resigned from the Amalgamated Society That is not a true statement-it is totally incorrect in so far as thS own figures Now they state that only 700 locomotive-men have resigned. Very well Thee are their own figures When our petition was before Parliament last year it was stated on official Then eS if WO leJ • I'lf'k^ot[Ye'men1 ' l f' k^ ot[Ye ' men ° n the b ° oks ° f the Amalgamated Society Just o Then, if ro.o have resigned that leaves, on their own figures, only 463 locomotive-men in the ranks of the Amalgamated Society But lam prepared to prove that fully 800 locomotive-men have resigned from that body. Therefore the total number of locomotive-men in theSaTgamated Society is somewhere about 363, and that I believe is a very close calculation That leafes very tew locomotive-men in the Amalgamated Society who are also members of this union else they are-non-unionists. However, that aspect as affecting our recognition is only a side as know a considerable number of locomotive-men who are only waiting till this union is recognized and hen they have expressed their will ngness to join. In any case, the fact remains that fully 1 100 •ffidall ! " Tl D f aTC !T " Vet l-T aSldng f ° r the locom °tive-men's union to be fully SogS officially Therefore it does not follow that because a locomotive-man belongs to the AmZzmltta Society of Railway Servants he is not keenly desirous of having his own particulaunrTToflkfallv recognized. What you liave to look to in this respect is the fact that such a larle ma ority of thl lcoomotive-men are members of the New Zealand Locomotive-engine Drive™ Snen and Cleaners Association and fully two-thirds of the locomotive-men have signed the petitions Those are the facts which you must look to in order to decide the issue To be iuft and fah T are admitted ,nd otto, h.™ been proved But, .side from these point,, h" e °,l,o ,« „, TVe consider that proposal a fair one, and will allow the whole Railway service or ra her I should lion FurtW, i, i. .d.pted by .11 o,, ts id. ll'Ll „, Mf'AT^tSt