WAIHI STRIKE.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1454, 31 May 1912, Page 5

WAIHI STRIKE.

.THE LEVY, MEETINGS 0? WHARF AND TRAM St EN. '.By Telegraph—Press JUso.lln.Uan.l Auckland, May 30. ' Two meetings of iho Tramway Union were Jicl.l to-day regarding the slriUo levy of iho federation. At (lie. morning meeting it was decided that in (lie ovont of <iay-?hilt men attending the night meeting approving of a levy being made, n nallot oi tlio wliolo mi ion should bo token, not as in whether thev should pay 111 per cent weekly contribution, but nil a proposal to contribute L'-'. per week each. The morning meeting also decided that the Mini of CHI. cash in hand from a previous levy, should In 1 handed over to the V, ailii Winers' Union. A motion was pill lo Ike meeting to the effect Dial all contributions from members usually going lo the union's fninis, should for the next three months hp donated to the Waihi Miner.-,' Union in a lump .sum fortnightly. After di-r:i!-Mi»], however, this resolution was deferred to a future mcotin?. The evening meeting confirmed the above pro''VhV Auckland Waterside Workers' Union met this morning to consider (lie question of a strike levy of 10 per cent, suggested !)_v the Federation of Labour. Tlicro were about laO mombeis pro.-pnl", wiiich, considering the fact that there are so many shins working in port, was considered to bo'a very good attendance. It was unanimously decided to vote thn sum oi' .Cl5O to the strike fund set up by the Federation of Labour—.£loo for tho Waihi men and X;>o for Iho Rcofton strikers. The prevailing opinion was that to vote a lump sum to bo lifted from the bank straight away would bo the most convincing form of sympathy with the strikers at, tlio present time, since it would probably take a week or (wo to accumulate a fund br imposing a levy as sngjestod. Jii addition lo ihe grant of .£l5O, the union decided lo open a list for voluntary subscriptions, and it is confidently expected that a considerable sum of money will bo raised in this way, even by tomorrow, which is first pay day. Amongst tho tramway men the feeling of a section of the waterside workers that tho Waihi miners have only themselves to blame is undoubtedly shared. The opposition to a 10 per cent. levy being imposed upon them is also by no means confined to a few. From the point of view of (lie federation and its adherents, the opinion see ins lo bo thai in spite of lack of unanimity as to the payment of tlio levy imposed by the federation sufficient funds will be subscribed to ensure the payment of half wages io the Waihi and Reefton men who are out. The total sum promised and collected ill Auckland to date for members of the i-jnj>inr-d rivers' Union at Waihi, whose formation of a separate organisation led to Hie present trouble, amounts to .KOO, The promoters of the fund are daily in receipt of offers of further assistance should it be required. It is certain that the sum now available can be substantially increased directly the occasion ri=e=. Timaru, May 30. Tho Timaru waterside workers deny that their union authorised auyo'no lo send a telegram to Mr. Semple at V*_aihi promising financial support to Waihi strikers. One member .said they had no sympathy with the strikers. THE WEST COAST TROUBLE. Rccfton, May 30. Mr. Fa,'.-nil, secretary of the Miners' Union, has lodged a claim for a cancellation suit against the Consolidated Gnldfields Company on account of the under-manninc of the Wealth of Nations mine; also against the Blackwater Mines, Limited, for muler-mamiing the Blackwater mine. The cases will be hsai'ii next Thursday.