WAIHI AT WORK.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1562, 4 October 1912, Page 5

WAIHI AT WORK.

THE SECOND DAY. POLICE OUT.MAN(EUVRE THE " FOLLOWING.' I BRAKES FOR THE MEN. OPINIONS ON FEDERATION THREATS (By TcloetaDlu—Special Correspondent.) Auckland, October 3. Tho police this morning sprung a surprise on the which rather took tho edge olf the elaborate preparations that had been made to follow Iho men going to work. The main party of workers were brought from their homes to tho mine in a large brake, under the escort of mounted police. The only people who could keep up with the party were the mounted pickets of the strikers, and thoso woitiug along the road to follow were kit behind. .Many, as soon as they realised tho now method that had been adopted by the police, rushed to the Barry Road entrance to the mine, adjacent to No. 2 shaft. When tho brake dashed up to the foot of the track there wero about a couple of hundred people assembled. The strikers' mounted pickets closed in end hampered tho movements of the workers, and this furnished the exciting incident of the morning. The police then made their way in and shoved strikers, horses, and all out of the way. Commissioner Cullcn, who vas standing near by at the time, directed this movo by tho police, taking a very activo part in it himself. Meanwhile the crowd standing around (which contained a largo proportion of women and girls) hooted and groaned. Shortly before 8 o'clock the . Wnihi Company's train arrived from Waikiiio, bringing a contingent, of about :1O men, comprising a dozen more than had been brought up yesterday. The engine was decorated with n small Union Jack, and the were bearing miniature (lags, which they waved defiantly, while they cheered with an enthusiasm that matched tho hostile noises made by the croud. When tho S o'clock whistle blew, and work at the mine started for the day, the crowd hung round for the best part of an hour, hooting and yelling. There is (■no leader of the militant women of Wnihi who lias become somewhat noted for tho prominent part which she takes in minor disturbances of a noisy character! To-day sha was with a bodyguard which boro .1 rod flag. Inquiry at tho company's office at the mine elicited the statement that the number of men put on to work to-day was ten more than the number working yesterday, six of <ii* extra hatch going underground. The young man who was arrested y'cyterday evening, allegedly in the net of throwing a stone at Hie free labourers returning home, was released on bail, and will come before the Court next Tuesday. It is understood that informations are. about to be laid against several prominent strikers for offensive following of workers, and for the alleged use of obseno. language. The Women with the Red Banner. A rather exciting scene occurred in the main street this morning. A party of women and young girls were walking down tho footpath' bearing a red banner,- hooting, and calling out) to every individual . coming within scope of their' censure. Presently a score or so of schoolboys, wearing red, white, and blue ribbons, commenced to fiillow the "Red Feds.," cheering tho Union Jack. Several boys ventured on the footpath, urged on by comrades, to "tear the red flag down." One of tho girls inarching with the banner, then caught hold of a.fairly sturdy youth, and would not let him go. The boy rushed to tlio road, dragging the girl with him. Hero she tripped and fell, and tho boy, disengaging himself, tho girl rolled over aim over on tho road, eventually picking herself up in a rather dusty condition. Sergeants Wohlinnmi and Murphy then came upon the scene, and prevented the red flag-beurors from continuing their procession on tho footpath. ' How Many Unionists On Now? Mr. H. Kennedy, temporary president of the Miners' Union, made an official statement to-night regarding tho number of men employed at Waihi to-day. Ho said: "Wo know, a-s a positive fact, that tho number of men (exclusive of permanent officials) who wont to work to-day did not exceed forty. Of. these twenty were freo labourer? already in tho company's employ nt Waikino. In view of this (which is the nctnal position, as it concerns our union), tho vagne statement made by jlr. Rhodes a.s lo the number of men o'n Iho pay sheet of the Wnihi Company is deliberately misleading. Only one of his employees to-day is a miner in the real sense of tho. term, as it applies to men eapablo of working at tho face. Many of those who started work wero member's of tho Engine Drivers' Union, and the Amalgamated Society of Engineers. Onlv three members of our union—two unnnaiieial and one financial—started work today." Federation and the Tram Men. Mr. A. Dosser, secretary of the Aueklaud Iramways Union, stated that his union had not yet discussed the proposal of the .Federation. It had been suggested that the executive of the union should call put tho men at once, but it had been decided not to toko this step. It was deemed to be.a wiser course to place the' proposition before the members so that they could express their views on ■ the matter. For this purpose meetings would bo held morning and evening on Tuesday next. . A member of the Tramways Union, who is distinctly averse to any action bcins? taken by his union in support of the Waihi strike, by a "Star" representative this morning, said that while the Iramwayinon us a whole were not in sympathy with the strike proposal he thought it just possible that the chance of a twenty-four hours' holiday might appeal to some of their members. There was also the risk, however, that if (he men left their cars, the,coni|niny would show its resentment by indefinitely prolonging the holiday. The matter was one which would be considered in all its pros anil cons at the special meetings to be held on Tuesday next. It seems extremely doubtful whether the tramwaymen will cense work. Both the federation nnd arbitration element are strongly represented in tho union, and consequently a good deal of difference of opinion exists among the men. An important proviso dealing with strikes is made in Section !) of the Arbitration Act Amendment Act, which, provides that, if any employee in certain specified occupations intends to strike, he must give nntieo.of liis intention one fortnight brfore he docs m. Tho penalty stipulated for non-observnnce by a worker of thus clause is JC2!i. In the case of a union the penally is fixed at .KiOO. Among the occupations specified in the clause are those of tramway and railway men. "I Trust that the Workers will do Nothing so Absurd." The secretary of the General Labourers' Union told a "Star" reporter that ho had oxpcVd the ullicial loltft- fiom the fedeintiuii, n-king for his union's support, in the proposed demonstration io 'joino tl> hand this morning, but it hod not don« so. Probably it would nrrive by to-mor-row's mail. Mr. I'anham had informed him of the federation's decision, however, and, at a special general meeting to be held on Friday night, the proposal would be fully discussed. Until that meeting was held it was out of the (|Ui'Stion to say what his union intended to do. J I' Iho general labourers decide to accede In the fi'diTnlion's request, (In- City Council will lie aimmjjst those to sutler. When one of the "City Fathers" was nppraichcd on the subject this morning, ho replied that he did not think that fr.<> mm in the council's .employ would bo 50 fonlifh r\i lo cease work. "I (rust that (he worker* »'ill do fothinp w atord," Uo Mid. "The City Council pars its »en

fair wages, and they have permanent jobs. They will not bo n> foolish, us to joopard)s» the regular employment which they enjoy. Besides, what'would lie the use? \\ orkers oim always meet to hold demon-s-tialions on Saturday afternoons uml Sundays. _ If they mint to stop work they must interfere- nnd prejudice tlit business of l.ho employers, uud that would only tend to irrituto the business people uud eilize-ns generally. JCo useful puriwse ciiii be served in following such ii course. There isulso a biff i>iobaljility that, if the men who nro enjoying good .wages and regular work prefer to obey the wishes of .Mr. Semple and Co. rather than the interests of tho city, tlioir jobs might not lw waiting for thorn when (hey s el back." SHIPPING. THE FEDERATION'S THREAT. (By Teleeraph.—Press Association,) Auckland, October 3. The proposal of the Federation of lαbour Hint all unions should call their men out for a period of 21 hours as a demonstration (it is understood before the cud of the week) is not regarded very seriously iu shipping circles, though it is realised, nevertheless, that there are awkward possibilities if a cessation is inndo on a day when a number of oversea traders nnd intercolonial passenger service steamers arc in port. An unusually largo number of vessels are due at Auckland during next week, and incidentally, the rush is due to some extent to the fact that steamers, which should have been dispatched from Home ports at their usual dates, were held up by labour troubles and, in consequence, sailed almost together. Uno stevedore slated that, in the event of a strike such as is suggested, he anticipated no difficulty iu securin? other labour to work cargoes temporarily, and this seems to be the general feeling.