THE GLOVES NOW OFF.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1470, 19 June 1912, Page 6

THE GLOVES NOW OFF.

WAIHI STRIKE.

i PLAIN SPEAKING AT CONFERENCE.

A FIGHT TO THE END,

(By Teleffraph.-Press Association.) Waihi, Juno 1& The • conference between tho delegates of the Goldminers' Association and the Federation of Labour commenced hero this afternoon. The former wore represented by.? Messrs. C. Rhodes (chairman), II 1 , . Barry (Waihi), W. Evens (Kcefton), D. M'Arthur (Grand Juncti-m), '-H. 11. 'Adams (Auckland), N. Stansfield, und J. M'Ccmbio (Karangahake), and W. I'ryor (secretary)." The Federation representatives were: Messrs. P. C. Webb (president), 11. Semple (organiser), W. E. Parry (vicepresident), P. Eraser (Auckland General labourers); G. E. Crowley (president Inangahim'Miners' Union).

In. opening the proceedings, the chairman 1 said they had met in accordance -with a request from tho. Federation Df Labour, and the Mine-owners Association was prepared to hear what the Federation had to say.

In answer to Mr. Semple; the chairman said it was the wish of the mine-owners that the press should be present.

Mr. Semplc and his colleagues . took strong exceptajm to the presauce- (.'" reporters. Theywaid the frequent misrepresentations of ' press reporters, more particularly at such nic;tiugs as the present, lead to further misunderstandings -.'and create greater uiitagonism amongst all parties concerned and the public generally. After further discussion Mr. Semple, rather than tho conference should end at that stage,'said his colleagues would waive the point. Must be Binding. In reply to Jliv Sehijplc, Mr. lihodjs made, it/cl-oar that whatever the agreement ■ between the delegates of'the Federation jiml the Association, he '.represented, it ivculd 'have- to be a binding'oiie, r.nd that at. present ha saw.no. , other, ;\\ ay to effect this than through • the. milium, cf the Arbitration .--Court.; H , t!ie, ; Federation delegates could find a way that \vnuld be equally binding, then, they'.'would l:e gliul to consider it. ■ ..: .': . ■

Mr. Sample:""lf.-we: cannot submit to yon some/ proposal equally '.'binding, as the Arbitration-Court.- Am I'to. take;it that, you people tare, .'soi'ag '.'tb: insist .-on an agreement being .endorsed' by. the • Cou"r,t ?". Mr. Khodcs:~'lt"-h.asj.g6t, to bo that or equally.'good." AYV-sec' lio. other way; but it has'jwt to be some-solid way. . I don't know that Lean make it clearer,"

' Mr. :Semple..said it was a very important point, and he would ask the delegates to explain' 'their reasons for deviating from the present system, which 'he maintained had worked so well. '. ■■'. 'Mr. lihodeS : ; said that Mr. . Semple jhould'Siirely/know that there was only ono reason, aud that was. that the present, ajieemenii.did .not bind anyobdy. The ■Federation' delegates then retired. On their return, Mr. h'emple said'that as far as they. were, concerned they were not.■ goings tu:-b'e .parties'.-to arbitration, and he-.myceeded to make'a very long explanation.".' ■~ • . ... Mr. Shades ..reiterated the . condition that' tlio .-only-' binding''agreement as . far us could,be*seen would , be under tho Arbitration Act. Jhe Engine-drivers' Unions • -.-''

Messrs.' Semple" aiid.':'P,arry. .said that' the officials of the Waihi Company had cognisance of. the,....formatiou of . the/ Engine-drivers' IJnion,""'iuid had had some hand in its formation. It. was clearly their duty to prevent the formation of tlic union", in-face of the existing agreement. .He contended that.the local.companies 'had-broken tho : agreement, in spirit, ami were --responsible for the present trouble. The'union had kept their compact in every way.•'. He'further contended that the"Waihi Company had aided and abetted the formation of the new union. Mr. Rhodes said the company had neither "aided nor abetted the formation of the Engine-drivers' Uuiou. The sworn evidence of Mr. Barry, (superintendent of tho Waihi Company) and Mr. M'Arthur (attorney for the Grand Junction Com : . pany) showed that they/ hail no knowledge that even a union was bein? formed until the strike had been declared, and further that no complaint about the union being formed had been made to the officials of the company. During the discussion it was pointed out that representatives of the Federation had declared that they did not respect agreements,', and that they could be .thrown aside. Mr.,Hiekey's name was mentioned in this, connection.

Mr.-Seniple replied that such ideas were ■not endorsed by.the Federation.. Mr. Hie-., key had not been an ofliei'.il of the Fed-eration-for 1 the past throe years.. His organisation could not be hold responsible • for the utterances of individuals.

Tieferring again to .the Engine-drivers' Union Mr. Seinplo said that the union was in a minority and that they tried to coerce a majority. He concluded th.it as far as they were concerned they were not, going .to deviate one inch, and were not going, to be parties to an agreement Buch as that proposed by the other side.

■'. "A .Condition Precedent." Tit anticipation of their not finding a way of making an agreement binding, the following was submitted as agreed by the association: — ."Tii. respect, to any'agreement, dint it be a condition precedent to any negotiations for a i-elllemcnt of any existing differences between the members of tho Gold .Mine Owner.-' .Wociatiou and any of their employees/ that any organisation of workers with whom an agreement is proposed slu>ll be the liody registered under the Industrial Conciliation and Arbitration Act." The matter of the Ite-efton dispute was Ji:Hissed at some length. Air. Crowloy intimated lh.it as regards agreements, they were bound only by re6pf ctive .signatures thereto, and tnat they would nit her take tlto'fisk than have such registered under tha Arbitration Act. . . •'.:•■• In answer to Mr. I'ryor, Mr. Evans said that in Soutii Africa, Mexico, tho United States,- Canada, and at Ofiia Tunnel (New Zealand)- tlio popper .-drills were'! worked by one man. Tho .two-men', drill weighed 4'JOlb., and the-AVniigh drill 721b. Air. b'emp'le. alleged :.that 'iho popper drills were" not used in; Australia. Ho contended that the weight of * drill had nothing t0 , .d0. with it. They were, concerned with the,health and lives of workers. ■■■-.■ ■ .

Bid Them Goo'd-bye. Mr. Webb saitt it was' no use .wasting further time. -It-.was quite clear .that the mineownars hail ..no intention of entering v'pon an agreement other than binding them down us slaves. He regretted 110■tliins hnd been done, and would bid them gcbd-bye. The chairman said he wished to deny a otate.menf by Mr. Varry that popper drills ■were not u-ed Kiiigle-lirfiidecl in IVaihi. lie had a shtemenl lo the contrary. Mr. Scrapie, said lie had come there tliiniiing ?o:ii«thiiifc would be done. The ~ ffntmtlei, however, had bsen thrown down, and though tliey had the press and ail (sections outside the working class, including n small section of the latter, mgainst .them, yet they had sufficient coniidence in the workers" of this country and of-Australia.. They would make it a bitter iijsht, and tn the end, with, gloves olf. They were not as weak as many thought. The gloves were now oil', and it ■would ba a light'with bare knucklss. Mr. Rhode?: All right,-.sir, w<: , II leave it m that. This ended the conference.