THE WAIHI STRIKE.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1545, 14 September 1912, Page 4

THE WAIHI STRIKE.

FIRST BATCH OF CASES CON* CLUDED. FOURTEEN MEN BOUND OVER. REMARKS BY THE .MAGISTRATE. (Bj Toloeraph.-Pross Association,) Waihi, September IS. The charges against eighteen strikers oP following fand jostling an engine-driver' wore continued this morning. The evidence tw the defence was & denial of any intention to annoy cr molest the drivers, the defendants in all cases contending that they merely walked with tho crowd who followed the drivers, and that their purpose was to endeavour to talk to them, and educate them, ami convert them to tho principles of tho Federation of Labour, Tho evidence for tho defence to-day wa« ma-inly a repetition of that given ycslor day. Tho last of the eighteen cases was head, finishing the first batch. Charges of assault, threatening language, and follownig-up drivers nud arbitrationlsla are. to be heard at the close c-f the present cases. They involvo a large number of informations. The vicinity of the Court is still crowded. Four cases wero dismissed and fourteen defendants wcro bound over. The Magistrate dismissed the charges against I'iacun, Gayr.or, Horman, and Lennox, and convicted Zeuorich, Campbell, Dye, Ihvyer, lindwall, H. Parry, Sykes, Power, Sorrenson, Oroie, Collins, Sorrenson, Almond, and Williams. Each was ordered to find a personal surety of ,£lO and another surety of .£lO.

~ „ Later. On the Court resuming in the afternoon Mr. Clendon intimated that the evidence for the defence was closed. Hβ would ask the Bench to give judgment before the other cases were approached. This was agreed to. The magistrate's decision was as follows:— "First of all, and apart from' individuals, I would like to, make some general remarks. .The burning question of course was the strike and whether the strike was right or wrong, and whether the drivers or unionists were or .Thcss questions had nothing to do with the magistrate. All that he is concerned about is to see that neither section, engine-drivers nor unionists, commit a breach of the i«ace or do anything that would lead to such. These men are charged with following engine-drivers in an offensive manner for the purpose of provocation. I have to look to all the circumstances and wo have aniiile evidence that the man was followed about by crowds, many using objectionable words.' They were treading so closely on his heels as to bo within an aco of committing an assault. The manner in' which they followed him reduced him to the verge of nervous prostration. I don't* say they were- otherwise a riotous, or disorderly crowd. The police had fiaid the crowd were orderly and peaceful to them, though obviously hostile to Shcard. I' must also pay my tribute to the general good conduct of the minors. From my own observations, before and since the strike, their conduct was exceptionally good. The police said the crowd was otherwise orderly. The president (I'arry) gave his evidence very straightforwardly. He also said the union did not encourage these tactics. The men acted un their own initiative thus showing that the officers of the unipn hud lost control. All the ingredients of offence are proved. I am satisfied an offensive act has been committed. My opinion is that unless something is dono those acts will be repeated. Three men, Hattnari, Qaynor, and Lennox, were different footing. They showed they were not on tho scene at the hours stated by the police. Regarding the others I am satisfied the police have proved their case, and all that is asked is that these 'men.outer a peaee_boiid not to repeat; their '"conduct!" I"aiii- satisfied thero has been a shocking amount of lying, nnd no one could have sat in Court without knowing this."

Fourteen of the defendants were ordered to rntev. into a personal bond of ,£lO with another surety for £10 to keep the peaco for twelve months. « Tho magistrate stated that he would bo willing to. accent tho surety of any member of the union not implicated in the cases to go bond for his mate. The other cases were adjourned till to- * morrow. At counsel's request, it .was agreed to defer finding sureties till the morning it being urged that the, men. wanted time to consider the matter. A big mass meeting of miners is being held to-night. SPEECH BY MR. SEMPLE. ' "THE FEDERATION HAS SURPRISED THE COUNTRY.? , Mr. Semple, organiser for the New Zealand Federation of Labour, addressed about fifty men at the Addington Kaiiway Workshops during tho lunch horn , this afternoon. Ho dealt at some length with the genesis of tho. Waihj strike. The now unions under Conciliation and Arbitration Act formed at AVaihi and nt Knntangata, be said, wovo attempts to "bust up" the industrial democracy by the power of the law. It was said that the federation was against tho men of ithe Court, but there woro loyal member- of tho federation who were, supporters of the Court, but it was also true, at AVaikino an attempt was being made to remove tho term "scab" by tho substitution of "arbitrationist." Those mon wore scabs, and scabs of tho worst type, since they were trying to smash the industrial democracy. Referring to the support received for tho men at Wailu on'strike, and those locked out at Heefton, he said tho response was wonderful, and surprised (he whole coun- ■ try. Already .£15,000 was subscribed to help the nioit, and that in the middle, of winter. The. federation was going on with the contest. Coal miners who understood the position were supporting the federation, and knew what it was to go before tho Arbitration Court, to be mpt with sneers of a v class-biased Judge. At Waikino scaßs were protected by the bludgeons of the police. Ko one who resorted to such tactics -was a man. (Applause.) Concluding, ho said the federation baa surprised tho count] , }', ami it tho police were used too much, it will turpris> tho workmen and (lie. country as a whole still • more. "Wo are not going down without a fight," he raid, "and if we do so, wo' will leave n mark on the industrial history of tho country."