WAIHI.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1563, 5 October 1912, Page 5

WAIHI.

THE THIRD DAY OF WORK. SITUATION EASIER. NIGHT VISIT TO CONTRACTOR a HOW HE MKT IT. (By Ttlertrrmn,-Press Association.! Waihl, October 4, Strike matters hero to-day were of 9 • much milder character. The Waihi Company have intimated t.liafc workers will bo conveyed to and from their work by tlie company. Late last night a gang of strikers went to a prominent mining contractor's residence. One ninn wont to the. house, knocked at the door, while thoothcrsstood back. The contractor, who answered the door in person, noticed that tho ir.au wore a ribbon of red, white and bine— > worn, possibly to disarm any suspicion, v ±ne man said: "Constable Skinner is outside and wants to spoak to you." Tho contractor replied: "If the constable wonts It> seo ino lot him conic in," The man then asked if he could take any message to the constable. The'reply was: "Tell nim I'm all right. Good night 1" and then ho closed tho door. The mien- 1 " lion of the plotters can be imagined. A pathetic appeal was made bv a little ' girl of very lender years to a mother yesterday afternoon, Tho latter was wheeling a perambulator in the wako of • n crowd which was following somo workers, and was hurrying to get closer to the lront, and, seeing her tiny offspring lagging behind, urged tho child to hasten. Hurry up! hurry up!" suc cried to the . cum, as she pushed the perambulator along, lho child, in plaintive, weary tones replied: "Oh, mother, don't go looking for any more scabs! I'm so tired. Instructions have been issued bv tho strike committee to suppress nnv d'isplnv of red flags and red ribbons. It is sufnused I hat (he instructions will result in a display of the rod, white, and bine which has liecn go prevalent in town lately, and which, in tho opinion of the committee, suggests that a (lag war, instead of an industrial dispute, is being waged. DEMONSTRATION. „„ , , ~ ' Auckland, October i. the federation demonstration against the imprisonment of strikers lakes nines in Auckland on Thursday next. 'The watersiders, framwaynjen, coaliniuers, gen. cral labourers, and brewery employees «• pect to participate. HOW FARES THE FEDERATION? Christchurch; October 1. Mr. E. J; Howard, a member of the executive of tho Federation of Labour, informed a reporter to-night that members of tho unions affiliated to tho federation wcro anxious that tho executive f-'honid call it general strike, and he indicated that some difficulty was being experienced in restraining some of the more eager unions. Ho added: "We know a thing or two that mnkes it not worth while calling a general strike at present. All tho industrial concerns have in hand stocks of coal, and it is only householders that are short. If a general strike is over called it will bo when tho wool and grain are still in tho country." ltegarding Waihi, Mr. Howard slated that the federation has in no way altered its tactics. It was only tho police who had done so. They were now "refusing to arrest men." The federation had telegrams and letters from all over the Dominion from men. willing to take the places of those who hadgono to gaol; and - women were also oifering. - Ho alleged that tho tactics adopted, until recently, by tho police authorities at'Waihi, wero based on a secret report by the Conciliation Commissioners, whichtheysubniitted to tho Hon. .W.;-]?. Mossey, ns Minister for Labour. ~,.,, Finnnciallv and numerically tho federation 'was stronger to-day than when tho strike began. Ho further alleged that tho federation "knew every shadow" Hint went into tho Waihi Company's mine, and it knew that, at present, there wero only four strikers who had returned to work, Tho remainder were men from Wnikino. Mr. Hownrd went on to say that the total contributions received by the federation for tho Waihi and Keeftoli men was now close upon .fiM.OOO, and it (tho federation) could easily keep (lie strike going till Christmas. Iu fact, though strike pay had been paid out by contributions received, the federation was building up a reserve fund. "Australia will , stand by us," ho added, "and awaits the word to do,vn tools." As to tho suspension of work ono day noxt week, as a protest against tho imprisonment of the Waihi men, he stated that it was only a suggestion to the affiliated unions regarding which there was no compulsion, but the federation believed that it would be carried out. Seen this morning by a reporter regarding the suggestion of the Federation of Labour Executive that members of thoso unions affiliated to the federation, and of others who nny bo in sympathy, should cease work for 24 hours on a day to be fixed shortly. Mr, H. Ti. Vcyee, secretary of the I.yltclton Waterside Workers' Union, said Hint he knew nothing of Ilia movement: beyond what ho had rend. The whole matter was a thing left to the discretion of the unions. As far as the Lyttellon Union a was concerned, noihing had been decided upon. As to which day would be decided on for cessation of work, he thought that prol>ably one day next week would be chosen.

Mr. A. Patorson, secretary of the Canterbury General Labourers' Union, which is affiliated to the Federation of Labour, stated that it was the intention of inoii'jbors of his'union to'hold a demonstration next: Saturday, and, in order to do so, work would lx> suspended for 24 hours. It was not a strike. It was pimply .1 holiday for the purpose of demonstrating against the imprisonment of the Wnlhl men. In'the morning (he men would ho addressed, and n procession would after- < wards march through the« streets to Ilaulcy Park. The General labourers' Union is still •registered- under tho Industrial Conciliation and Arbitration Act. but (he secretary did not anticipate that any action would lie taken against the union in respect to a "holiday" for the purposes" of 1 a demonstration. . ' THE CONTRACTS. i Wailii, October 4. liaspecting certain resonUy-cnncellpd contracts in tho Wnihi Company's mine, tho executive lias niado the following , statement:— "Where contractors have left quantities of pn rendy broken in slopes, passes. ! or shrinkage blocks, tho companv will hayo same carefully tallied, as it'is required, and is got out, and credit will be given the different parties for all such ore. Thcro is no idea of forfeiting any more (han deposits and percentages under the provisions of tho contracts. It will tak« , time to ascertain exactly what quantities have Iwen left. Payment.* can only bo made in future periods after the oro' has 1 actually been delivered at the surface, and the slopes projicrly filled where noeessarv. ; Tho wholo cost of carrying out such work will bo debited against (he contractor? before a settlement is finally niadc.-Sign cd, Chas. Rhodes, local director." _ REEFTON POSITION. Reefton, October i. ' Tho Jnnngahua Miners' Union put out pickets to-day at the railway station in view of an expcctxxl invasion of free, ' labour. The Eoofton Chnmber of Commerce has passed a very strong resolution protestinc against the stoppage of railway works nii ! tho Reoffon-Innngahua railwav in view of increased settlement along lines where ! there are now more thniv twice ns many settlers ns was tho caso previously. ' '