A PATHETIC SIDE-LIGHT.

Press, Volume L, Issue 14885, 27 January 1914, Page 5

A PATHETIC SIDE-LIGHT.

(BPECIAIi TO "THE I'HESS.") DUNEDIN, January Sβ. Some of the correspondence dealt with at tho annual meeting of the Kaitangata Minors' Union threw a pathetic side-light on the late strike. Mr E. Moore, secretary of the Minors' Union, Huntly, telegraphed urder date of 23rd inst.:—"Fifty families stranded here, also Strike Committee. Could you send any assistance?" Mr James Robertson, secretary of tho Nightcaps Union, wrote on the 24th D-ecember—"l have been instructed by my union to ask if your union can give us any financial support here. Wo have received none since we came out, with the exception of Waronui, and as wo cannot get a settlement yet, we may have to fight for some considerable time." In both instances, the chairman reirarked, it was understood settlements had now been arrived at, but he supposed some of tho men could not get back to work. Ho believed the Huntly case was a deserving one, and it was tho duty of tho union to help. A member rose and sharply administered a rebuke in regard to the waste of money which ho said the union were indulging in. A man joined the Kaitangata Union, ho said, and paid contributions for his own interests and the union's benefit, not with tho idea, that the funds should be extravagantly expended. Ho wished the chairman to understand that their union was not a charitable and benevolent institution, the sooner the executive realised this the better. The chairman said ho npderstood that tho union funds were for cooperation with other affiliated unions, to promote the welfare of the workers of tho industry. It was left to the secretary to make further enquiries.