STRIKE AT WAIHI.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1440, 15 May 1912, Page 8

STRIKE AT WAIHI.

'MINERS , STRANGE REQUEST. COMPANY ASKED TO FIGHT A UNION. TWO MINES IDLE(By Teleerrnph-Prese Association.) Auckland, May 11. Practically all work ceased this morning at the mines ami latteries of the Wnibi Mine. The horses were taken up from Hid underground workings- in cases shortly after 8 o'clock. '('lie first intimation of any trouble, which was received by the management of the Wailii Hold Milling Company, according to n statement made to ft Herald" representative by Mr.. Charles Rhodes (local director), was the appearance at the shaft head on Monday ntterniion of delegates from the \\ aihi Miners end 'Workeis' Union. These latter told the ■! p.m. shift that they could not go down the mine. ■ Messrs. Rhodes and E. P. Barry, general superintendent of the mine, the latter of whom was in Auckland tit the time, were informed what had happened. They next received notification from the union to tho effect that the men would not go to work again until the company had insisted upon members of tho newlyforined 'Winding Engine-drivers' Onion disbanding and joining the Miners' Union. "As far as we aro concerned," said Mr.

Rhodes, "we have no power fc> do anything of the kind. The Engine-drivers' Union was formed, according to the laws of tho country, under the Arbitration Act, and is a thoroughly legitimate organisation." ■ . . ■"■•- Shutting Down. Asked what courso the company had adopted on receiving , tho ultimatum from the miion, Mr. Rhodes said that he bnd at once telegraphed instructions to tho manager to shut down the mine if "the men did not go to work at 8 a.m. to-day. "The men did not go back, Mr. Rhodes remarked, "so tho horses were taken out of the mine, the pumps were stopped, and the batteries ceased, crushing. In other words all work was sus-

ponded, including even such operations ns might have been proceeded with for two or three days."

Questioned further, the local director of the company, said: "The position now is' that before we could even negotiate with the Miners'.Union,.if such a course ■were necessary, the. whole matter would have to bo haiulled by-the New Zealand Gold Mine Owners' Association. Tho companies'are not free to make their own arrangements in tluvse matters any more. So iir as we -are concerned the question is now in tlie hands of the association.-"

' At a rough estimate Mr. Rhodes.tho.ufcht that close-upon ISOO men at Wailii and Waikino would bo rendered idle by: the strike. ITe added that the.Waihi-Com-pany would- not. take on non-union. men to fill the vacancies created by the strikers.. ■ -.' '■■'•: '"-...' . . ' "It is not a,quarrel with'-us,' he said,' "the men must fight out their own differences." .

'• Th 6 Waihi Miners' Union cancelled its registration under the Arbitration Act on 'May' 5, ioni'wlien its membership was 1350, and joined the Federation of Labour. Mr. Ehodes was asked whether, since that .time, men have been working under an agreement. Stoppage Without Notice, "Yes," ho replied,' "they were working under an agreement which they have broken without an instant's notice. It was one of (ho=o famous agreements under the Federation of Labour which can be broken when it suits them. There .was no mention of strikes in the agreement in question. Kfforts ore being made by the Miners' Union to induce the engine-drivers to disband the new .union and return to the Miners' 'Union,' but the ' cii'gine-drivtrs declined. ■ ■■" Mass Meeting. At 8 o'clock last evening a mass meeting of members of the Miners' "Union took place. Tlie hall was packed to the doors, and there must have been six or seven hundred men present. Only financial members were admitted. Mr. Parry (president) presided, and a resolution was passed slating that the members of the Miners' Union have ceased work (ill such time as members of the Engine-drivers' Union have rejoined the Miners' Union. The strike will afFoct about -000 men, including those at Waikino, or if their families are included, about 5000 souls.

The town to-day has the appearance of a Sunday, being filled with men walking about and gathered together in small knots discussing the matter. . . Effect on the Town. The borough revenue depends almost entirely upon tho gold duty imposed on the mining companies according to the output of gold, mid as this duty will cease during tho/strike, .the position of tho borough 'js-critical.- 'The' gas works, sani- . iary services, hospital water works, and borough' matters generally depend entirely upon tho council's revenue for maintenance, and this revenue- will be lost to tho council while the strikes is in progress. The mine pumps stopped during tliis morning, and this will add to tho serious-

ness of tho position. All borough work closes to-night. An effort is being made to keep the sanitary and gas services going. ■ Everything is orderly. One thousand striker's attended a freo picture show this morning. -. * - ■ . As far as can be ascertained, both sides are firm. ... EFFECT ON OTHER MINES. GE\ND JUNCTION LIKELY TO CLOSE DOWN. (By Telegraph—Special Correspondent.) Auckland, May 14. Inquiries were made at the Auckland offices of" the Talisman, Waihi Grajul Junction, nnd Waihi Extended Companies to ascertain the effect of the strike at these mines respectively. The local secretary of tho Talisman and Waihi Grand Junction Companies (Mr. A. Hanua) stated that so far ho had received no official intimation, from either of tho mines. He, however, anticipated that tho situation would bo similar at the Grand Junction mine, to that prevailing at tho Waihi properly, as tho conditions in tho two mines aro very similar. As> there are no winding engine-drivera at tho Talisman mine and nearly all the-work is dono under tho co-operative contract system, Mr. Hanna hopes that trouble may be avoided unless the miners are compelled to come out in sympathy with the other, strikers.

A telegram was received from the manager of the Waihi Extended Mine yesterday morning by the secretary (Mr. J.-W. Nichol), to the effect that • the mine was closed-and-that the Miners' Union had withdrawn the men in consequence of the disputo with the new Engine-drivers' Union. "Mr.' Jfichol stated that the telegram had been submitted to the chairman of directors-but nothing could be done until fuller particulars were to hand. Tn the meantime about 21 men will ho out of work from (his mine.

It is not thought'that the trouble will spread to the Thames. The opinion freely expressed in mining circles in the city yostcrtlav was that it is a very striking commentary on the labour laws, and .the Arbitration Act particularly, that "'two bodies of workers can "squabble" among themsolvos to such an extent as to cause a cessation of operations in such large concerns as the Waihi and Waihi Grand Junction Mine-:, resulting in a great loss, not only to those connected with the mine, but'to 'shareholders and others. The view was also put forirard that such an affair as the present strike must have a very disastrous effect on the introduction of foreign capital to the country, capital which is absolutely necessary if large concerns like the Waihi mines, and projects similar to the Taranaki oil welh are fc-be successfully worked.