THE WAIHI STRIKE.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1451, 28 May 1912, Page 6

THE WAIHI STRIKE.

■■;;";, » —■- '■' /. ' APPEAU BY THE FEDERATION OF > -~..... 'LABOUR. -TEN; PER-CENT. LEVX -IMPOSED. Aα official manifesto was issued by tho Federation, of Labour yesterday, appealing for funds. Tho text of. tho manifesto, which is signed by Messrs. Jl. Staple, 1 , . Webb, and J. Glover, is as follows:— "Fifteen hundred men aro out on strike in Waihi. Unionism demanded that a stand bo taken to safeguard tho organisation of which they are members. Ihe: .AVaihi Miners' mid Workers'; Union is, against sectionalism. Tho. .trouble is not'of recent origin. During the past twelve months more than one attempt has been made to establish a, scab union, thus trying to smash that solidarity which is tho workers' only defence. Ceaseless irritation and pin-pricking were beyond human. -ondurunecy and 1500 men, witli magnificent and inspiring-solidarity, ceased work. This fight is not a fight between sections of' tho workers. • It is a light between the organised employers mid tho organised workers. Tho object is.clearto break working class solidarity, /lour turn may come'to-morrow if the insidious conspiracy is not defeated now. \\ith your help it can be defeated at once. In Reef ton, too, tho Mineowncrs' Association is '■puiaiiiiiK tho same union-smashing tactics. . Three hundred men aro locked out because, in. accordance . with their agreement, they refused to work rock drills single-handed.. In Reefton not only Ihe-liiVof unionism is at stake, but hiLman.'life'ns'well..'The drill which, tho profit-chasers' agents have endeavoured to compel' tho men to operate can only be -used to tore uppers. Through the huge;"amountof dust.and grit created by tho working of these machines, unless constantly sprayed, the ramifications of miners' complaint would bo increased by 100 .per-cent., appalling as the plague already is. By employing two men tho ■water spray could bo used. Again, the ■'natirro of the ground at Reefton 13 ■ treacherous, making it unsafe for a miner :,to work alone. To defeat the Mine- • owners' Association your assistance is heeded. ■ With confidence we make our •appeal to you, fellow-workers, for your monetary aid. ■ Tho unions-affected have ever ■ been ready with financial aid to .-iil 1 who made tho appeal. Tho appeal ',% now to you. Help preserve union in■tegrity and solidarity! Help preserve .'human life! 56th issues aro at stake. •With confidence we make this appeal to 'our fellow-workers to aid the unionists and their wives and their little ones in .this fight against tho machinations of the on aster-class. The executive has imposed a levy of 10 per cent, of tho net weekly earnings upon each of its icembers for the support of those on strike and locked .out. Mill you also act? Ho gives twice ;who give* quickly. Vote financial assistance at once. Raise funds." ',; By special resolution oJ , conference, ■Mr. W. E. Parry (president of the Waihi '.Miners' Union, and vice-president of the federation) addressed' delegates en the •Waihi dispute. He said that just before the last agreement was made between the union and the mine managers ah attempt ..had been made to form a union antagonistic to the existing union, but that the attempt had failed, after the recent Auckland trouble, the attempt had been renewed, whereupon 1100 men had protested against the registration of another and unnecessary union. Most of the enginedrivers had asked the Miners' Union what protection it intended to give them in view of the effort being made to register a separate engine-drivers' union. The .tniners had decided to do everything possible to effect a, settlement, and had approached the few discontented engine.drivcrs, without avail. Mr. Read, secretary of the Engine-drivers' Federation, had visited Waihi, and upon learning the circumstances'of tho secession had iefu?ed 'to assist in'tho formation of an illegitijnnto union. Tho Miners' Union had found .'itself compelled to stand far tho principle of ono union for one industry, and also to strenuously fight the coming into legislative recognition of a small faction of workers. He held in his hnn/1 a document signed by 51 men proposed to bo covered by the new union, opposing-the same and certifying their loyalty to tho Waihi Workers Union. (Cheers.) Mr. Parry answered a number of ques-tions-put by delegates, and pointed out that although the Miners' Union had been charged with breaking an agreement, as a' matter of fact the drivers had flagrantly broken the agreement .to..which they had been Va part, in that said agreement recognised the drivers as an integral part of the Waihi Workers' Union. Mr. Parry was. accorded a vote of thanks. ; .. .- ■ Mr.'.lt. Semple, official-organiser to the Federation of Labour, left Wellington yesterday by the Main Trunk express, en roiite for Waihi, IN THE EVENT OF A GENERAL STRIKE. ; • ... 'ATTITUDE OP AUCKLAND TRAM MEN. '. . . ißy Teloeraott—Press Association.l Auckland, May' 27. Mr. Paul Richardson, president of the Auckland Tramways Union, and union delegate to the federation of - Labour' Conference in Wellington, returned to 'Auckland yesterday morning. Mr. Richardson declines to make any statement relativo to his mission back to Auckland, but members of tho union with whom the president has been in touch since his return are more communicative. A reporter was informed on good authority this morning that Mr. Richardson had returned'for tho purpose of meeting member's of the, union and ascertaining from them what their attitude would be in the event of a general strike being declared by the- federation.; From various members of tho union it was further ascertained that tho : .'tramwayincn in Auckland aro likely-to-declare emphati- . ciilly against anything jn the nature of a ltriko at the present time. . . - STRIKERS' PLACES FILLED. (By Telegraph—Press Association.) Auckland, May 27. Thp "Herald's" correspondent at I'aeroa. dates:—The l'noroa Extraction Co. has obtained men In fill the places of those who went on strike a few days ago, and work is to bo continued as usual. SOCIALISTS REBUFFED. •.;....' AT. OPEN AIR MEETING. Thames, May 27. ■Delegates' from the Strike Committee of the Waihi Miners' Uuion addressed an open-air meeting at Thames on Saturday night, and explained their acton regard- ' in" the strike. They sought to justify tho same. Though the local miners are roistered under the Arbitration Act, and are opposed to the adoption of ;the strike method, the visitors had a fair and attentive hearing. They admitted that the Waihi strike had teen called because ot the formation of the Engine-drivers Union and tho secession of its members from the Waihi Miners' Union. _ I hey ' contended that this was the third attempt made to break up tho lederafcon of Labour by the formation, ol eniit unions, but all tho previous efforts had failed, as this would fail. It was submitted that the men at Waihi were fighting for an important principle, in that thev wero opposed to coming under the ■Arbitration Act, and that this was a covert attempt to undermine- tho powei and influence of tho union. One speaker asked the Thames miner; to support their comrades. Iho replj was- "i'ou'll get our support when you get rid of the Socialistic element." After the delegates had concluded som< local miners spoke against strikes. _ The meeting concluded with the singinj of "Rule Britannia."