WAIHI AND REEFTON.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1466, 14 June 1912, Page 6

WAIHI AND REEFTON.

1 ■■■ 1 ♦■■ ■ 11 11 1 1 STRIKE LEVIES. POSITION OF COXTI!lI!t : TOI!S. 'fli.o secretary of the .Federation of In, ■ bo'u'r has received! he fbil.o\yijig lelter from the 'solicitor for the Feile.rn.tipn, Mr. P. J. '' O Kegim:- - "l.'loar sir,—ln answer !o yoii.r inquiry :■ Ih.is imirhing, 1 nuiv say that. I have noticed : in the newspapers tlva.t certain: unions w'l'u> are boiihil %• awards hays ileiiiiifreil lo making a levy ior the relief cii (he m»n at Waihi on ilie ground that .. being bound by the Arbitration Act they ■ w.oiiiil: be' guilty *Vf ah, offence if 'they did so. I notice this opinion expressed rather ■ eirt.pliti'tiea'll'y quite 1 recently .in oiio of the Wellington newspapers, (ho Auckland c.or-; respondent .of which regretted- 'that n., . "strong Government" was not in office • to punish the men who have "l,roken i 'he law" at Waihi. This is quite in «c.- . cord, with the standard of accuracy pb-. served by the. great iniijority .of'vthc .iic.w'ij'i ■papers'- whpro the actions of men ■' are 1 iii issue;. . The legal pasitiofiis quite . plain.; A, Strike is unl'nwiul only/.when; the strikers nre bound -by an award or 'industrial agreement—(hai. is to. say wheri they are. members of an industrial, nhion i and conse.-jiientiy under (he jurisdiction . of-the f'oiir.l of Arbitration. .The. Waihi miners are net. under (lie jurisdiction of . flip'. Court of Arbitration, and .hence their . strike is not an. unlawful strike. Consequently it is. not an offence for any unions, whether bound by an award of : tire. court, or riot, t.o 1 (lonale funds tb.r .th»: ■relief pf ttie men on strike." XO LEVY VOTED. . . (By TMegra'ph.—Presj Asso'.cintiph,-)' Auckland, June 13. The tramway employees ballot, resulted: ■22G .agii.inst, 197 in favour of a levy of : two shillings per week to assist, the- miners on .strike. . KEEI'TON MATTERS. (By Association.! Christchurch, June 13. . . The Hon. .1. Colvin has been urged to . intervene, in- : t.lie lieeftpn disputed .brit'.; stated he was unable to act.as .ihgdiaibf-' . unless asked to do so by both parties, lie was anxious io see a se'.t lenient, and would .willingly mediate if given the opportunity. ' ... . Resfton, June 13. . At a meeting of' flic Miners' t'nion, to ;Ug held to-nighf, tlie .business ;is.y stated'.' to l*i import ant.. The meii are utterly disgusted with the long delay, and many, afo very, tired of road', and•ira.ilway/cqiiv , stnicti.on work, -as -t.lie' weather has brer,te.rriWf. 1 Though the train will l-.e li'te tiMiight; a ..good reception will, b;' given to the Hon. .Mr. Colvin, wMiose action in conVing here is inuclt- appreciated. The secretary-of the Miners' .Ciiion, however, staled that the miners, will not grant: any concessions whatever, hut will siihinit:''tlieii case to. the