THE LABOR QUESTION.

Gisborne Standard and Cook County Gazette, Volume IV, Issue 503, 6 September 1890, Page 2

THE LABOR QUESTION.

[to the editor.] Sib,-I have always thought it awise thing that. reporters should have access to all meetings that concern a community, or fairly large proportion thereof. This belief was further strengthened on reading your report of the employers’ meeting. From the reports that somehow got previously circulated myse f and others had formed the opinion that the squatters were going to have a secret meeting and " mark ” every man who had joined a Union. But your report'of the meeting and the committee's resolutions puts quite a different face on things. Though one may not agree with the inference to be taken from the speeches he cannot help admiring the tone of the meeting. Practically employers take up the position that we are at liberty to form Unions, but we must not coerce others nor should we affiliate with other bodies—the real meaning being that we may affiliate, but must see that the management is different to what it has been. I think we can all agree with that, for any workman dispassionately jut ging must endorse the opinion expressed in your, articles, that there has been recklessness, and that the Labor organisations should not have affiliated with the Officers’ Union. One point, however, that Mr Sunderland raised I must challenge. He says that if a minimum rate .of wages is fixed many of the lees skilled hands will be thrown out of employment. Provided the minimum is a reasonable one how can that be go ?—there must be some bedrock with or without regulation, and a fair minimum can always be risen above by individuals whom employers feel ’ are entitled io it. This principle indeed is a protection to such men as Messrs Sunderland and Chambers, bath of whom are credited with being liberal employers and prompt pay, though, to be frank, Mr Chambers does make us ha»e a prejudice against him on account of his . inclination to be autocratic. Why should fair employers take on themselves the onus of meeting halfway a movement whose power would only be exeroited to bring reason to upstarts who know nothing about work themselves and fancy all workmen to be some kind of pale Chinamen ?—I am, etc, Unionist.