COURT SCENES.

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

COURT SCENES.

MAGISTRATE AND STRIKERS. \ INSPECTOR SPEAKS. (By Telegraph.—Press Association.! Waihi, September 20. When the men stated their preference for gaol, tho magistrate said that to some extent the men had token him by surprise by adopting this attitude. Yesterday all promised to find sureties. It did not seem a heroic thing to him that, after making up their minds to do tho right thing, they allowed somebody not competent to give advice on the matter, to cause them to change their minds. It didn't seem,to him they possessed much strength of mind. It must be a "glorious" band of heroes who wanted to uphold a "glorious" principle to follow up, annoy and intimidate people, even, in some instances, to frighten women into a state of illness and create public disorder. It was a "glorious" principle for which they wefo fighting. Tho magistrate went on to say there was no intention in the wide world to stop picketing. They had had the assurance of Inspector Wright Hint the police would not interfere in any attempt by tho strikers at legitimate picketing or efforts nt converting i'reo labourers. ■ There appeared there was no principle involved beyond the "glorious" principle of right to intimidate and annoy those- weaker than themselves, when they were in such numbers as to make it safe for themselves. If that constituted a hero, he was very much wrong in his estimate of what that word meant.

liarnian asked permission to speak. The magistrate said he would hear him. Harnnin explained that he had reviewed the situation seriously, and had come to tho conclusion that it would be folly to enter into a Ixmd, on account of the aggressive attitude of the police ngainst their organisation. If the bound men smiled at the policeman or made any chance remark re his personal beauty a summons followed, and their bonds were forfeited. . ;

His Worship said that was utter rot, untrue, and absolute nonsense. It wos just an attempt to justify the attitude latum. Ifo explained again that there would be no curtailment to the mon who found sureties, in the performance of duties as pickets,- but the principle, of disorder ami lawlessness would not be pormittwl. lie avotiUl ask whether there was a "hero" present who would cliango liis mind.

Police-Commissioner Cullen, in tho course of a few remarks, made it pltiin (lint tho police would at all costs maint.iiir law mid order, mul would protect anyone -svho wantod work, no matter who it was, free labourer or fedorationist. The police would remain here as long us they woro wonted. There wore more police ready to come any moment. It vas only i\ matter of sending a telegrnm. He want'ed the men to clearly■ understand the position.

GOING TO SERENADE THE GAOL. (By Tolcßrapli.—l'rcss Association.) Auckland, September Iff. Arrangement* are now well in hand fnr the demonstration by the walorsido workers,, which is to he held to-morrow uifthi; at 1 o'clock. The watcr.iiders will assemble nt 11m Groy statue, and will form into line. It is then proposed |o march <" tho i;aol where tho strikers are ; mprisoned, to the strains of a brass band, and, if the 'authorities, do not interfere, to endeavour to cheer np tho strikers in prison with sc-nio lively music. The City Council has srrantod the necessary permission t;i hold the proerssion, but the Mount Eden Hnromsh Council has refund (he union's application. The gnnl is in the Mount TCilcn Horough, but the boundary vrad is not. 'I'lui secretary nf Ihfl union informed a reporter to-day that tho procession would certainly lake, place.

beginning to coino to the conclusion that it lies boon behaving in a rather foolish manner. The "Herald's" special correspondent, telegraphing from tho sceno of action, cays:

Tho strikers wero extremely quiet throughout to-ilay. Doth at Waihi nnd Wailunu the glamour of the strike and tlie excitement caused by the occasional iiu-ITi-ctiml demonstrations Ims undoubtedly worn away, and' left tho strikers in a stale of impoti'uci l , which, to .some extent, they aru beginning to realise. With tho departure uf Tarry and M'Lennan, intercut in tho Court proceedings has becomo perceptibly weaker—while tliero were a fair number of strikers insido tho courthouse very few stayed about outsido the biiildiii:, , . Attracted by the fine afternoon, however, about a dozen wives of the strikers assembled with their infants in perambulators outsido the court, where they conversed with one another during most of tho afternoon.

The starling of the concentrate mills at Wailiino lias had a good effect, as.it indicates that tho real beginning of the work in the mines is not far olt.

The presence (if tho police nt Wnikino has absolutely restored law and order in that district. On Thurscliiy striko pickets were posted as usual when the nrbitrationisls left work nt 4.30 p.m. L'or the first time the arbitralionists went on their homeward journey without the escort of tho police, and they wero left entirely unmolested by the strikers, who nro commencing to realise- that their previous actions savoured of foolishness. Another pleasing nspect of the situation is that tho usi! of tho word "tcab' and other opprobrious terms has practically cen?ed, at least in public places, and there is no fear of insult to those who walk the streets. Matters in connection with, the industrial union of the arbitrntioniste at Waikino are progressing satisfactorily, there is also a movement in Waihi to form a union under tho Arbitration Act. !>oine half a dozen of tho moderate section oi the strikers are making no secret of their intention to move iu this direction. There has been no further attempt at Karangahakc to go on "holiday," and it is not expected that tho workers there will make such a movo again, although such was reported. \ The outburst of the Federation in the manifesto signed by the organiser (Mr. Semplo) has apparently fallen on stony ground at Waihi, for (hero wore no signs of interest when the contents of tho manifesto wero made known. Tho fact is that tho Federation has promised many things to miners and failed to carry out such promises. Consequently a fairly large section of the miners are inclined to look with suspicion upon tho manifesto, while others hint that it is "one more of Mr. Somple's little games of bluff." VIGOROUS REJOINDER. The following reply to the Federation manifesto has been issued by a correspondent, writing from Waihi:— "The manifesto of (he Federation of Labour includes the following misstaleme.nls:—(l) That the Federation of Labour is the one protective organisation ljetwecn tho workers nnd rampant exploitation." Reply: The Arbitration Court was specially designed and 'organised to safeguard tha rights of the workers and to prevent sweating, and still has the confidence of many thousands of workers.

(2) "The binding-over is part of the capitalistic conspiracy to crush tho awakening unionism." Reply: There is no such conspiracy. The superintendent of tho Waihi Goldmining Company, Ltd., has testified on oath in open Cnurtthat the company was in no way party tri the formation of the Winders' Union, which was entirely voluntary. (3) "They (viz., the president, vicepresident, and a number of members of the Waihi Minors' Union) wero carrying out (ho time-honoured and lawful methods of picketing." Reply: It was proved by sworn evidence in the Warden's Court that an elderly engine-driver named Sheard was, on September 4, followed on his way home by a crowd of from 201) to 100 men; that the crowd had used offensive language; had trodden on the man's heels, and that, oventually, flie man had been terrified into a state bordering on collapse. It was proved, on sworn evidence, that, on September 2 at Waikino, a crowd of strikers, headed by the president and vice-president of the Miners' Union, followed four arbitrationist workers on their way homo; that thoir attitude ivos menacing; that had tho polico not been present tho indications wero that the nrbitrationisls would have been assaulted; that the people living on the hill above Waikino were in a state of terror; that men had been obliged to send their wives out of the district. It is a well-known fact that, in Waihi, s6litary cirbitrationist Workers have been' followed by gangs of strikers who have jostled them, trodden on their heels, blown their noses in such a manner as to soil their victims' olothes, and otherwise insulted,them. It was stated on oath that a striker had molested a little girl en a- public. Dath, and finished by saying to her: "Get past now, you scab." (4) "The president and vice-presi-dent and. a number of members of the Waihi Miners' Union have been gaoled thus to gag them and break tho strike." , ,

Replyi In summing up tho Warden said: "It wns not a conviotion that was nsked for, but an order that the defendants should enter into (sureties of tho -pence as a guarantee that they would not repent this conduct. Ho wished to make it as light as possible, and he wished to mako it quite clear that the men were not required to find any money. They wero merely asked to sign and .guarantee and fine a surety to do likewise that tho offenco would not bo repeated. They had a right to talk to any innii about Ilia principles, so lone; as they did not molest, annoy, or intimidate. Ho repeatedly urged tho defendants to reconsider their decision in regard to refusing to sign the bond.

(5) "The officers of tho Waihi Minors' Union lvei-o smuggled out of Wnihi without the knowledge of (heir fellow unionists, or without tho opportunity of a last comforting word with their families and friends."

Reply: The "Star" reports: "When tho Court reso Inst night, Parry and his comrades being under arrest, permission was given for a business meeting of tho .strike committee to bo held at tho Courthouse to arrange union affairs made necessary by the pending departure of tho president and vice-president. Opportunity was nlsoj given to tho men to interview their families. Tho desire to avoid a demonstration by an excited crowd waiting before tho police* Motion rendered it" impossible to make, nny endeavour to allow (lip men to visit their homes."