WAIHI & THE EBB.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1569, 12 October 1912, Page 7

WAIHI & THE EBB.

MORE BACKWASH. THE HOLIDAY AND SHIPPING. '■ " HERE & ELSEWHERE, ' 'DISUNION OF WATEESIDEBS. (By Teleeraph.—Soecial Corressondent.) Christchurch, October 11. i The lukewarm. response in Auckland on Thursday, to the cail of the Federation of labour lor a twenty-four hours' cessation of wort has not been without effect in Lyttelton, and, in most quarters, it is not expected that the local "deinoustration" will be ft very, enthusiastio affair. Many workers to-day expressecl their intention to remain at homo instead of taking part in the demonstration, it is certain that a very large proportion of the men would preier io be at.work at the ships as usual, but, as one of them said, it would mean (it they were to work in disregard of the call of the federation and cne union executive) that they would have to iace the taunts of their mates, and be oaiied "scabs" and "traiiors." In iany'case, it'is probable that there will be more workers in the streets of Lyttelton . jas spectators to-uay than as active participants in the demonstration. ; In anticipation of the stoppage of work, Christchuren shippers to-day sent forward a. large amount oi cargo lor Wellington, .'which was' loaded by the Mararou. So .'far as can be ascertained, the only ;£teanier of the Union Company's fleet [iwhich will be worked to-morrow will be jlhe ferry steamer Maori, which will bo 'discharged, and loaded by tho company's hands.. .-•■■■ . • • A notice written in chalk on a.blackboard outside the Coronation Hall, informs waterside workers that there will be no worg on the waterfront between tfhe hours of 8 a.m. and 12 p.m. A representative of the Shaw, Savill, 'and Albion Co. informed a "Press" re}>orter that his firm had not received any official, intimation from tho Waterside Union regarding their intention to stop work, and, consequently, he had 'arranged tor instructions to be given to the inon working at the Arawa that they '.would be required to start at 8 a.m. to'worrow. as usual. He was unable to state what the position will be. If, as is iprobable, the men do not start, the company's permanent staff would take their [places, and complete, the discharging of 'the vessel, which has now only a lew ■tours' work in one hatch. ~ The eteamer Hurst finished the nisteharge of the Lyttelton portion of her pargo of superphosphates late to-niaht, fend 'will soil at 6 a.m. for Napier. The r v !b;v>l-Shire Line's steamer Kaipura, '•vht-h arrived at Lyttelton on' "VVedn.sMγ. - vlth 1300 tons ot cargo from West of !v.';i-.;'.d ports, has been working a gcod <l .! Oi overtime, and it was the inten- ■■■■,-' el' her agents to work uer alMast ■. i.'i • ip till 7 or 8 o'clock ia-uij.T;v,v :■■:' i:i:;s, withlthe object of ge'.hn" her ••■.-,■.■ !D-day. .The tramp steamor Wira-i:l-i-zr.. which arrived to-day froni Pbilaiisbhia with '30,0|)0 cases of kerweno, will b')t* !■ ii working to-morTow. . K ■; rumoured that there is a pnsrfbil\U t.!nt one shipping firm f!l v.-s;ar:l :'i-'c srrppage of work as a breach -J t>o ■ -"."/iir.ont on tho part of the union and V\-:i tlsre may. be some interesting Uc-T,-10-..n*.at3. Clause 28' of thu apreement ■ tbt-Vs tiat the essence of the aaro'jiiio'it ;>.. ti.?,t the work of the employers shull ', '.■:k~s proceed in the customary ni.inner, :■:■-:. vh'ill'not, on any account whatever •ue impeded. I -' ■ ■ LEAVES GAOL. ;? Telegraph.-Pres3 Aea'ociation.l .:' Auckland, October 11. "i-r.r'ier Walai-minor; has.been.released 5'.-iin iount'Eden Gaol .on •■ finding :sure- ■ :•■■: ;■:■ ordered by the magistrates. He y.f.- Dined'to Waihi. PAID OFF, "cr Tolcsraph.—Prese Association.} \ Auckland, Oototer 11. ;■.'■- ut twenty labourers employed on

■":>■;• .work went off-yesterday to take part '•i fee Federation's procession, and were ■■Ku-whai surprised when they turned ■;i.i this morning to find that they could •i.ot ?o on. They wero' informed that they i/'uld not bo taken on without reference •Cj the Local Bodies' Association, which ■;a;i passed a resolution to the effect that if -my men went off the local bodies would ;.'.''l themselves free to fill the places. I'.: was rather remarkable that some

H! [-dozen cf the men on the eame job, \-■■?■> had worlted yesterday, becameannoyt i because the strikers were not taken :.*r., and insisted that their holiday mates i '•■ould bo given their jobs again. The •.■■"'••testers-were immediately paid off. The- :: >>; which the men were on is one for •4:ch there is no great hurry, but fresh 3 Mrds will be taken on, and aro already ';.::-ring. . ' ■ -." • BAD FOR HUNTLY tßj Tolesrash.-rProaa Association.) , 1 Auckland, Ootober 11. 'tis Hunfly coal miners assembled at «V, mine as usual this morning, and }■■■$*$ informed that only those' who V'lii'ked yesterday would be permitted to r<-:-iine. Jhi3 striken assembled in the ihall, )■■■)■ (ire spceohes were delivered, advising jji'darity and orderliness. "'ha storekeepers of Hnntly have been iirren to a state of nervousness by reae\i'of the threatened cessation of work h.v/ond the holiday which "was talcen yssterday by the_ men. This was illusUffed in a practical way when repreran'ilives of well-known commercial houees :?, Auckland were refused further orders !■-;■ supplies. These firms' travellers ar7!v3d in Huntly in.their ordinary rounds, jiA, during yesterday forenoon, they pruned ud their samples. The retailers n-" the town, however, flatly refused to riir, and gave as their reason the flo.ibt which existed in their minds con-. r. rning the length, of time that the vn;.iers would be idle. Their intention, ti: t said, was to in.-ist on cash payments' '•: :il matters reached a more settled :':if;e. ■ , " . ir- tl l6 mines remain closed for even -. tew davs, the Huntly Brick and Tile •_■■>., enrejqying SB' hands, must.. shut r.'.'.'n. lhe , manager is endeavouring to :_:',ure~a stock cf coal, but has failed. •J .-...■• only means to obviate closing is to •v,i a seam of coal on tho company's i ■::property, and this would take con- ;-'.-' rable time. :

OUR HOLIDAY. ;UT OFF TILL SATURDAY NEXT.

REASON GIVEN. "MR. SEHPLE IS NOT HEKE." iOn inquiry at the office of the Harbour Board as to. what action'it intended to lake .regarding the proposal of the WaterWβ Workers' Union to cease work altogetner on Wednesday nest, as a protest against the imprisonment of some of the Waihi strikers, our representative was Landed the following correspondence — . "Mr. H. B. Nicholls. Secretary Welling, ton 'Harbour Board.—Dear sir,—l am instructed from a meeting held to-day to inform you that the members of the above [Wellington Waterside Workers'| jznion will, take a day's holiday on Wednesday next, in order to protest against the action of the Government in gaoling tho Waihi strikers for refusing to enter into bonds to keep the peace. The hours set apart for this protest are 8 a.m. to 12 midnight. I would be pleased if you would make the necessary arrangement to work the shipping onMde tlieso B ™. «tc, Geo. G. Farland, Genferal Secretary." The answer to the foregoing letter was te follows:— "xu»' owm-ral Secretary, n ellmgton Watarside Workers' Union.— Dear sir,—l b'ig to acknowledge receipt of your letter of 9th instant, informing me that the members of .your union will take a day's holiday on Wednesday next, the 16th instant, from 8 a.m. to 12 midnight, and asking me to make the necessary arrangements to work the shipping outside these hours. In reply, I beg to refer you to Clause'2B of the existing agreement between the noard and your union, whereby it is expresly stipulated that it i 3 tho essence of the agreement that the work of the board shall always proceed in the customary manner, and shall not on any account wh.atsQfiv.ei; be imneded, If the.

union carries out its intention to declare a holiday, it will be a distinct breach of the agreement, and tho only course left me then will be to carry on tho board's business to the best possible advantage and with whatover labour is available.— I am, «to., H. E. Ndcholls, Secretary." Yesterday morning a further letter was received from tho union as follows:-— "October 11, 1912. To H. E. Nicholls, secretary, W.H.8., Wellington. Dear sir,—Eβ the matter of proposed holiday ol protest against gaoling of tho waihi strikers and tuy letter to you thtreorc, I bsg to state that I have been advised from the-executive .of the federation to postpone the day from Wednesday next until the following Saturday, October 19, owing to tho inability of the organiser, Mr. Semple, , to be present on tho former date. This matter has yet to bo confirmed by a meeting of the union to bo held on Saturday morning, after which I will advise you further.—Yours faithfully, Geo G. Farland, general secretary.

THE FIDELITY CLAUSE. Clause 28 referred to in the above letter to Mr. Farland from the board reads as follows: — , . "The essence of this agreement being that the work of the. employers shall always proceed in the customary manner, and shall not, on any'account whatsoever, be impeded, it is agreed that if any dispute or difference shall arise between the parties to this agreement, or any of them (whether as its construction or meaning, or as to any other matter whatever arising out of, or connected therewith), every such dispute or difference, as the same shall ari£>, shall be referred to a committee to be composed of three representatives of the union at tho port concerned and three representatives of the employers for their decision. The decision of the majority of the committee shall he binding, and, if no decision at the committeo shall submit the point nt dispute to some independent. persen to be chwen by it. If his decision is not acceptable to Wh parties, then the matter shall be referred for further nesohabon to the New Zealand Federation ot Labour and the employer or employers concorned."

FACTION AGAINST HOLIDAY, One having an inside knowledge of the feelings !i the waterside workers, «- the opinion yesterday that tho Sn on wouW t£ making a if it insisted on all hands '4, ow °i u 5 tools" next Saturday. He said that there always had been a large section of the union opposed to federation and its methods, and that it only needs some such action as that proposed by the federation to bring about a split in the ranks. He believes, that the federation is well aware of the big dissentient factor at work and' for that reason, .has altered the date of the "holiday", from Wednesday until Saturday nest, m order that the men will onlv lose half a day instead of ■ a full day's pay. \ Another informant expressed the opin-l ion that, if there was a genuine desire to holn the law-breakers at Waihi, it would be much more advantageous to work on the "holiday" in question and rive the money to the strike fund, rather than dock all hands of a day's pay. Thire was, in his opinion,'too much trotting out of Mr. Semple as a star aotortoo much theatrical display by the federation comedy company for. the holiday movement to be successful m Wellington. The postponement of the dav indicated that a mass meeting without 'Bob Semple would be like "Hamleil" without the melancholy Dane. UP ON NOTICE BOARD, Tho section of the Wellington waterside workers who are- acainst the proposal to cease work on Wednesday next

as a protest against the gaoling of the Waihi law-breakers, has evidently gained their point in regard to holding a proper meeting of all financial members of the union. It will be Temembered protests were entered . against. holding a meeting to consider ruch a question at a time when , the" majority of the , workers were unable to attend on account of so touch work being available on the wharves. Yesterday a Dotico appoared on the: union's notice board which read as follows:—

A special summoned meeting will ba held in the waitini? room at 3 p.m. on . Sntiirday (October 12 , ) ty requisition. Businftss: To consider- instructions from Federation re proposed holiday. The abovfi no doubt speaks for itself. When an ofßcial of the union was osked in the seorctar.v'a office yesterday if lie could (or would) Rive any information concerning theabovo meeting ho replied: "There is a rule in our book which prohibits any member pivins anv information to the pros; nnd I cannot tell you onrthin?. If you want to find out anything about what is being done, ?o down thn wharf, and if you can get the new«, well. Ton aro welcome to it, but it won't be 'official , then." . ■ . All the mannsors of the various shipnir.K companies have received intimation from ■ tho secretary of the union of tho postponement of the holiday until Saturday, October 19.. ■ WAI HI OUTBURSTS, (By Telegraph.—Pw Ar~"iolatlon.l Waihi, October 11. . Demonstrations on the part of nonworkers and women occurred again this afternoon, when ■ tho mine shift was coming off. They were of a similar character to those which have occurred since wort was resumed last week. The evening train, with the returning Union . band, which had taken part in tho Anckland demonstration yesterday, was met by a large crowd, and was cheered. After detraining, they headed a procession, and marched to tho Union Hall. THE TAUPIRI MEN. Auckland, October 11. A meeting of directors of the Tanpiri Coal Mines Company was hold in Auckland to-day to consider tho position at Huntly, but no decision was arrived at. The meeting is to , be resumed to-morrow. REEFTON MATTERS, ' . Reefton, October 11. Fire free labourers coming last night by train wero met by the union officials at Still water and induced to join the union. -They stated they had, been enpaged to work at from 12s. to las. per diem in the Keep-it-Dark mine. The union is now standing by tho men.