THE WAIHI CASES.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1551, 21 September 1912, Page 5

THE WAIHI CASES.

STERNER MEASURES. SOME SURETIES DOUBLED. THE GENERAL POSITIONREPORTED TO BE QUIETER. (By Telegraph- Special Correspondent.) Waihi, September -0. In connection witli llw charges against AViiltisr CiiUins, Wm. Collins, Ci. N. Bencc, and'W. Perry, tho magistrate, in giving his decision, ,said that theso cases were more serious than those which had preceded them, hi fact, the oliemts were contumacious, and tended to overrule law and order, whereas, in the earlier informations, it might reasonably Ijo assumed that (he oilenees. had been committed in ignorance, lie was always prepared to act leniently where a man had acted in ignorance, or had rashly acceded to the requests of persons having some authority over them, but, when it was found that tho men had set out to deliberately break and defy tho law, tho position was entirely different. Tho men would linil that they were "up against a tuas" in him when they so acted. They had absolutely no excuse for their actions, and each would bo bound over to keep tho peace for 12 months, in. a recognisance of .£SO und one surety of ,£SO or two sureties of ■£25' each.

The men stated that they would not attempt to iiml sureties, and intended going to gaol. Tho magistrate, addressing tho strikers in the body of tho. Court, (trow attention to tho increased ljonds in tho eases of the last four men, and intimated that, if any further cases caino under his notice, lie would raise tho individual recognisances to .£IOO, and go on raising it. Thereafter those offences mast bo stopped, and it would be well that they should recognise that it was useless to'2o on kicking against tho law, as the law always won. It must bo understood that he was absolutely determined that the district under his jurisdiction would he law-abid-ing and orderly. He was sorry that tho strike had occurred, and regretted to note the suffering which tho strikers had had to put up with in consequence, and ho was sorry also that a number of peoplo who had not been parties to the disputes should have .suffered. Ho sincerely hoped that tho striko would ho brought to a speedy anil honourable settlement, and would be only too pleased to do anything he could to bring about its termination. This ho would do willingly and ungrudgingly and. without consideration for timo expended. In concluding, Mr. Frasersaid that no doubt somo of the men present were under the iin press jon that the informations in whioh they would be involved were yet to bo dealt with, but such <tas not UlO case. lie had talked the matter over with Mr. Mays and the police authorities, and it had been decided that anything that happened up to tho present juncture should not be made the subject of ii charge. They should start with a clean slate from to-day, and ho hoped that they would keep it clean. This decision would eliow that' thero was no desiro on tho part of tho police to deal harshly with them.

A demonstration was made this afternoon in tho street opposite tho police station, when the 2!) prisoners wero taken off in brakes to Paeroa. Though marked 'by loud cheering for the men and hoots for the police, it was otherwise orderly. Union pickets worn in attendance, and suceoeded in preserving ordoT, among a large assemblage A number of federationiste at Waikino ami Karangalmke, through which townships tho prisoners were driven en routo to Paeroa, cheered tho occupants of tho vehicle?. Tho prisoners v;ero put on board at Paeroa, and will reach Auckland early in the morning. A motor fire engine, driven by some firemen, and Hying miniature red Hags, accompanied them amid cheering from the crowd for a short distance.

Mr. R. Sample, organiser of the Federation of Labour, arrived at Wnihi by tho evening train. Ho was met at tho station by about fifty strikers. Some cheering began, but was sunurcsspd by the strike committee. In tho evening-_he gave an open-air address, congratulating the miners on the stand which thoy'had taken.