WAIHI & LAW.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1586, 1 November 1912, Page 5

WAIHI & LAW.

iMORE TALK IN PARLIAMENT A TIMARU PETITION. STATEMENT BY THE HON. A. L. HBRDJUN. . Tho odso of the Waihi strikers in. gaol waa discussed, at inordinate length in. tho Houso of Representatives yesterday nftcrupoh. The business was raised in the first instance -by a report from, the A to L I'etitions Committee- on a petition from sorao 500 residents of Timaru peiemptorily demanding the release of tile sh-ik-Prs now in gaoL The committee reported merely . that they had no t.iori to make, and it was explained clearly; that by this- recommendation ,they did not wish to traverse the merits of the question.. They were of "opinipn nierely that the matter was not a propor ono for the committee to pass judgment upptt, x \. . The Minister's Attitude. The Hon. A, L. Herdman (Slinisfcr for Justice) said it was a great pity that members of the House were not familiar with the jvhole history of the Waihi trouble. If they were, he did not'think that one honourable gentleman . who wanted to see law and order preserved in this country would ... protest .sgainst, tho action of the Government.. The law must bo enforced to allow men to go about their ' ordinary avocations without molestotiont and while he was Minister fpr Justice there would be no distraction medo between, man and -mail; whoever an. offender was lie must be proceeded against tot a breach Of the law. As indicating. : tho nature of the position, which had induced the Government to send extra, police to Waihi the Minister read the following letter:—" Waihi, sth September, 1912. Tp tho Eight .Honourable, William E. .-ilassey, Prim.e Minister, ■Wellington. . Sir,.—Ah intolerable- condition bf.in•dustrial wurfate has- arisen, in Waihi due largely to tte failure of , the. Government to adopt .measures cal- . tulated to repress the dissemination ' of -seditions and revolutionary • doc trines. ■ ... We, the taxp.ayers r lopk to you and fa the Cifovernment of which you are the head, for protection.-in:-tho pursuit of our peaceful dallingsV a?d we feel that we- shall not iopk: in vain. . Gut town, is fated with .financial, ruin. . The Eed■■• Revolutionary,-"liW.W.i"■ and other pests, which have brought things to this pass, fancy themselves - masters" of ..the eituation, and- with, reason, as.,up to the present, they! have b.een allpweil to patiol the ,, streets', of : Waihi arid Waikiho mobbing, threatening,, and insulting those wio fail to' see. eye to eye with them, ■using at the. same time:, the foulest language': .conceivable.' .', - ■:.., -.■'■' Carefully schooled in the tactics Df the I.W.W. bx a.u .emissary pi-' that'. bpdy who recently .escaped -the:- cbnse- , qtience of his wrtingilping thwugh the. tardiness of the; authbr.-ities in taking ,,; . action, thcy-iiow feel tlieijtimo , is; .ripe : to put into execution the. lessons- , in ' which they, 'have been so ; carefully trained. The conditions;which. at-pre-': ■' sent Obtain both at W.aihi.'and : .Wai-' ,: kino lead us to conclude rhat'the.ia'svv...' less me.thcds,'which.-:aro. • adopted -.-Jy , : : workers in: Am.er.ica to coerce employ.-:' ' era'to'accede to the. deiiiahds: of-their ' employees, are':abo.ut to be .repeated at any inoment in our 'midst ....'■,,■ .-.. We resjjectfully wish, to bring,under your notice -.that we cannbt:,calmly, submit, to seeing;, ■'".. .- x.,;' ■• Men who-are'willing tp; work-being preventod fcb'm doing so'.. , " Secpndlyy-Interferehce, 'with' the- feeedPm; of. -mpvemen.t.:pf citizens -going- to places ;p£ amusement or- using •'■ the King> highway, ■: '..■- • •' . Thirdly—Our womenfolk beiri- teri'/ rorised by ; groups of hoodlum's w.atch-;ing;-their dwellings'.-and' spying.' on. ;,the.ir lnpyemcnts with:.field. glasses: . , Pourtlily-The threat of'.bbycp.tt of •■ all _ people who venture .fy t disasreo^ 1 ' .with-the rflvolutiqhiry. tehets. pf'the :. .! Federation of" Labour , workers, ; : : - .:■' :-:'-, ' .We respectfully submit .-thcit-jy.e are-. ' , but claiming our. just'rignts as-Bri- :. - tis'h subjects;-in asking'the.Gpyerri- •' ment to aflppt such.me'asures as■ shall■ ensure iis ■ ait immunity;-from" a. coh- , tinuanoe ;.<jf, the intolerable annoy--a'ticcs to" which our district,has Keen .subjected. :■ " -~; ; , : ; "-.-.■"■:•■. i:\'V '. : We have, the-hpnbjir to ■■% Sir/ .' ■'' 1 ■ : "Tours, very respectfully..' '" i- . -.'■ : '.. (Here follow , 28- " ' Prior to the'receipt p£; this, .jettor,- said Mr. Herdman,,action; had-leen taken':by ■the' Justice.^Departhierit,: ,, and arrange--jneiits , ' had .been : inade ■ to: dispatch '-pclice. , ta Waihi ..should, any., .disturbance,"■.■■arise;-:-From that date onwards 'the Government' : Bad.'.deliberat'eljr : and with, .thoimh'f'detelv : mined to see'tnat men who: desired "to! go '< .about.their ayocations-in 'Waihi'' f'hould' 1 be enabled, to.do sb iyithont' mplesiatipn; W,ttS,.;itTiglit that the .Government;- should "j interfere in the--interests' : pf men-■whoJ ■nsed-'obsqejie. language in ;Waihi? '"Would : ': it; beright for the Goyer|iment-to,.inter/' ferei'.to prevent a man who; used .bbscehe language in Lambton ..Quay, from --'l.eing punished? So long a?, .he-, was-'Minister. ■Jor Justice JeVoiild^make-no'.distinction' between., strikers', and. ■otlier-'.pffbnders.' ini ,an,V'..pther place. -It. EMy.been suggested: that, the Government had' senfr.doifnVa , , special magistrate' to deal... .withi , .; ; the. ■ Strikers. The 'fact was- that.-,the..gentle-■man happened'-'to be thero.. : at■ the.-'time-iii: {ho- ordinart , way in:ihe;disbli,a : rffft'.of, his' dutioji Rβ had; been' , ■ there 'three; inpnths befpre the '■ .were:. in-. stituted. Ho (Mr; HerdmanJ:■: , thiit there were throe possible cpurses : to,, toko in dealing-'with the- men;. The' Ring-, istrate could liavn iniposed sentences of ■imprisonment, lib -.could, hav.e 'ined'the.. men, say, forty shillings.; but the .-small - est possible punishment -.-.he; could -have. ■inflicted was to order these'.men ito.find; sureties,. and, on their finding 'suroties,•to release them. That was. the-, Wildest; possiLle punishment that ho , could , have imposed. '.."''■ '■". ■■."-;-' '■ Mr. Brown: Couldn't he have, cbnyi'cted them and ordered them to. ■cp , me- , -up; for sentence? v . ' ')'' ' :■.:'■■''■■■'■■ Mr. Herdffi.an: He could, I dare say, but--, that is no punishment at all. , Th.e. law, .declared, he cPntinucU, that if .t , .' -iiian would not or could not find α-bbrid .lib. should remain in- gftol for., twelve- ■mphth's,'or' less, accprdiilg to the- term of the bprid.-. These' men were, not being kept.'in gaol : by the Government, but they we're -being kept in gaol by thein.srtves , . The; bond' they were iisked to' find .was- ■'a. very ca'sy one fpr them to find. It hnd" to be Signed- only fcy nnymem'hcr .of the uliion, any of the men's own companions;; If they desired'to bo .free; .all fiuired to do was to get ftiiy of theif own friends to sign a bond. ' " , Mr. Payne: Do you call that freedom? Mir. Hevdman: Of course it is,freedom. Mr. Russell Why did you stop their tobaccp? ■ ■ ■ ■' . Mi-. Herdman:. I didn't stop: their tobacco. He explained subsequently, thai no prisoners but hard labour men had any right tp have- tobacco. All the rights., the men had under the prison fegujatib.ns. were being preserved to them:. A story had been circulated that twenty or thirty of the men imprisoned recently had been locked up in.Auckland in ono : room, That Was qnito untrue. If .ho . were to tell honourable, gentlemen the languafifl used not only by the mon but by the wtimen at Waihi they wovild bo absolutely astounded. Ho hoixid the good eenso ef hpnpurabl& g«ntlemoil would dictate to them the Wisdom of coming to the conclusion that the Government had acted fairly, and in the. interests of society and of law and Srder. Ho was quite confident that the general .public, ; when they realised; whnt was being done, would conclude that the Government had acted wisely. , A. Division. It had been, apparent 'thronghoiit the discussion that there- ivns a strong body of opinion in the House in favour of the .matter being left to tho Government, and. Mr. .T. Craifile, who had moved an amend-' meiit that the petition bo referred back. to thn committee, asked to bo allowed to .Withdraw his aniendmont with a view to another being moved to the effect that the petition bo referred to the 'Government The withdrawal could be; allowed only with tho unanimous consent of the 'House, a.ud Mr. Payno rniged an objectioli. The House thereupon- went to- h. division. When the question was ..called*. Mr. R. M'lCensie was the only member ; to say "No," «nd soine m.einbeVs pf .Die Opposition party claiined that there had been no division called. It was apparent that they did .not want . the .vote, but .QoTernmettt jnenibere, lajuikiDK.

at their opponents' uneasiness;"insisted. > i upon, ft Vote.• : ■ ■:'■■:■''•■ •:•.';■•,;...■ ■■;. ■ I The amendment was- def eated-. ■ by.. 44'- j vote! to 21. The follrinYJnc i.s'thb.dinsion •• i . list:— : . ■' -■'.■ ■■■■" I •' .; Ayes (44)-Allen, Anderson, Bbll; \ ■-.] Ballard, Bradiiey:, Buchanan, Biiddo, j Buick, Dafcy, JJickie, '■Dieksoii,.- .Fisher, '.'. \ Torbes, FfaSev, (fiitlir'ie, Uanari,"Harris, ■■'■■#; Herdnian, Hemes,' Hincj :Huriter,- Lang, - ' '-\ Lee, M'Callji.m, Ma'kpimj'.'M.ander;: Mas-■ ,i scy, Jfrorsi'E. Jvuwihaiii Nbsivorthy,' Okey, ■' Poiirce, Pom-ire/ -H, H. llhode's;.-T; , .- W.' >' Rhodes, Scott,. I'.-- H;- -Smith,' Statham, '•■ "1 Sybes, G, AL Thomson, Wilfordi.Wilkin- ■ j son, Witty, and; Young.. ■>':" ■';■".; ;■; ; i 1 Noes .ißrown, : ; 'Colviri, ' • 1 ■ Clark, .Craip>,, 'Jvll, ' ■Gloyer, , - , ■ Hind- ■ i i Marsh, Is'tt, .LauMnson; /llacdonald.'K." ■■■ M'Konzie, Earata, Payne; Poland, Ransrl- V hiroa, Russell, ' Seddpn,".: Sidey,:' J; .C. ",' ' Thomson, Veitoh l ,' . ■"'"■'. ..■■■■'■ : ' , -... ' ,: ■ ..Mr. G. Witty .moved-an'.amendment to'■■■ ■ referred to V [ the.■ Government : 'fbr ■consideratvpn , :'.: , -'' v .5 Th'fl discussion wa?.coiitiniied by. Messrs.' ■':'■■■> . Isitt, Bfudnoy,,.Eayue, aiid. A'lu'ore.'- '•'■■' ■ ■ i ; . An Indignant Chairman.'. .. ' ,' ! Mr, Malcolm, the -A'to T, -,' .? ■ said thVt'hiS'ielloiv-mombers .•■■ '■< i of the C!omihit.teehnd not'treated him' ; --' very well in tlrls matter;: ■■ T he-Committee-''" : - : ! liad' been.-attended- that, morning by the : ! . member.?. for: Napier, .OtakiVXhristchurcli ' ■ ' . Aorta, atitf;Gv:ey,:Lyim... ■:-;.:> : .- - ■':.-■'i Mr. Payne;-JVot during this debate; ' :: i Mr, ■ Malcolm.:. .- During , this ,, -' debate.' '■ '-i Whea it was-iiipra] that.the 'Committee - ';■"'.-1 '■ had no recommendation'.to iriako". evers ~ • member ~ it. :■'■■■ : :■■-■■'■■."".■■■ , ; ; Mr; Isitt; Absolutely, , ;'.;::;: ■'■, ;'V . ■-.: i Me. MalcolnKsaid ■ that/members; of' the ' -j Committee had taken , , one 'attitude in l.hat '• -■' ; capacity and another.in r .the House.. He, ■'■'•-' '{ , as chairman of , the'..Committee, had. been '•'.'.! , instructed,to ;.brinj : ..down.\ this resolution, . : -1 and.]iis j fellow : mem'be.rs , ..had , gone hack on-'- '■ . him and voted/for -'.ah , amendment that ' '-■* went baqk. on' the findingiof. Uie Commit-'*. "'■.) w0..: Jle had liot,expected, to be treated" ■' J ; .in that way. : : ; ■'■■■.■;.:..■■. ;.; ,,: .v.v'- ■'■ ; '-.-' ■ ■■ i Mr. Isitt said; that'theimembe"s of the .* -i .. wmmittee, in changing;their attitude, -. > i ha;d. taken,full.responsibility for doing 60.. Hβ ivasiiot going : back on the'chair-, ' ■: S an, ' t rf^V'sithply/owning: to the ■" ' ; .House that; Tie .had'been mistaken. '. '■: . I ~M ri ;J v .Yi (Napier); Eaid'that, '■■:■' the' discussipn. 'in: :the Hpiiso' had thrown •"■ -< . new .light ..oh■■the. : :matter''.so far.; as he -J . was conce.rned... : :,He';:was' entitled -to change ■. "' . his opinion', whcther.the'ichairm'an .liked ■ .it :er :jfot«'. -'S-- ; ;h-: ;,';':':> :-^f: : : ■■:■':■ ".■.:' •■'■! . -Jin- Tanie, 'sai<l: thatvhe thought- the; ■■'■'', memberfdr.'Cluthp,::shbaVd, accept, hio 1 : ! assertion;: that'he. .'■was.nbt' present when;' '■■■:.- :'■ this petition was discussed,.'; .■ ,' ■" ; .'.'."< V-' ..Mr^. Mftlpblni:: , ; .1 certainly .'.accept it, il O-; , - .\ ' 'yb.u .say. .that..::"■■;.'"■:•'.;..■■:.■■■ : : ; -v ■■■,■ •• ■:- ■ ■~1 . Tlie..Hc,n. , ;W;. ; P. f llassey.''(Prime Minis- •'. '■'''.' ter) said ./that- the Ipositibi; was : simply ; : that ..as-.sboii as. , the -men.: in., prison were '"'■ '.-I iwilling to .enter .into'a :bondof to. . ' '■ bo., of j'gobd; behaviour .and to. each got a '■"'* frieiid : or .companion., to enter. ,-\ into a,- ' ■'< ■similar bpiid;':the prison doors would open,- ■ '! ' and'..the.nien:could go-free.:lTho Govern- ■' j meiit had 'uiider.rnkcn.'ai.'l.'iinpleasant duty' ■; in connection: mth-'itho''■Waihi :trouble. ; ... ; They ■intended,.to dp ..their';'.duty,' and ha 'l v . j : "ira : s.'(iuite ; 'satisfied. 16: leave : it..at that. : : . ■■'". -i Mr ...■■ 's'.•> Eobertson'said , .that.apparently . ' ' the.Government''was'.intent;on keepin?- ..- .j the ■Waihi...men in' gaol'/until .th©-. strike, : : j had: been settled, .so, that they! could, take ■:! np : further'., part in. :: 'it;'V ■ ..'.■■■■' '' : ■'.., ■"■ . ' ;{ : ; !rho..amendment :was.'.negatived 'by ®' ■■■■'■■,[ votesi'.'tq 22;,: The report'of the committef .''/■:'j-, .' fes.' allbiycd. ; .io:-lip:onlthe :.table.'.'/ ' : ;■'■;'■!. '\ } :■/: CHAEI^TEfeISTIC^^ECH.:;/';;'^;;:.! : . ; ! ' : '(By'.Tcleßcapi].—^ess , . Aeaodaiipn.V..;. '• . i .■ '■ ■';■'■■ ''.}■ ■/«;.' ' ; '; : *.;..;.Waihi/'octbber,3l.. '.-. ...U ' , : .llessrs^ :: Webb. ; /.arid'. Setaplo addressed .ft'. ;■. big'-"ineetiiig'-'at -the', King-s .■.'.Theatre last ' i night.' The building was ivelLpicfceted. •.. ',' ■■ J .ifr/;Webb.. : dealt.:at".length", with-the.; p.. , ■ : Trade's..Cpuncils , of New.. Zealand.and New,:;.. ;■.;';■' ;So.uth''Wai!!si ; :an'dsai(l'suoh'cpuncils.were .'■■.■;: .•'organisations' pf "ecabbery.' , ■■'; Hβ hoped; : '; ■; jn. tiino' to'"have;Vbnlj-:-bne. .big , . unio,n-.; ~:■:; Australasia , '; on,: ; . federation ~:- ■'; ' liiies,-and' the/federation would: fight'on.;. *-> : : '■4iid,on , .vtiE. ; xiotory^--\y r as--''-tlieirsv. : : , . , .Th 0 ,,:;.'',.: speaker said ilie'^: wished'he "had about tell ;- ; .:; editors of the'--lying,in>titntion3"bf.New .<.....' ■Zealand on.the-platfbrni.;". .He also :refer-;;.;r>-^ ' red' to ■■MriM.asse'y'.'.aa :"Bpskp.-,Bill,"'.and :■.'.■",■■ ' the eohTmissipner; , o{,'Pplice'.'as.the.-':'mis--. ;;...■ '.' eVaiileicreaturbat' the head'Of'tho'p'olice..,, ~ : ■ He;bonsidered-.that had:the .Ward ■Gov-.., v^. • brnmeht in'power.the strikers \reuld. ; : ' neverlliavo beea imprispned.' ,'Bpskp..Bul ■. ..; had.kept his prpmieetovhelp-the'workers ■ .; ? ■" by- eiviupt. sixty-seven free board :,and a-". .:; ..suit o£ clothes,:'-, Mr; Webb attacked the ■'.. -v, ■■Industrial■workers'-of Auckland;; whp:htid. .: : ;., ■■nbt'-cbntributed'anythinß.; towards.:, tlm ■ ~ ; . Waihi trouble;,and were doing ttciv-level;- ■ j ■-best'i'to .injure'■ the federation- ;• He"- also. •;j ■ attacked:'in- turn,,"professional' wowsers, . i trades and labour councils; :"Tlie Voice' of v I Labour,'' ftofessor',Mills,' : andjLr. Walsh .... ,5 . (organiser, of."arbitration.Lubour). £ fhe, v . i 'speaker, said-he would give half his. Jife to j . .liave'M'rofessor'/Mills, on-the: .platform. ;j '■■■Not only'were-the-Waihi;.stnkers:.ready. i to gb to gaoli'he added,:but they would go ;. ..>. :' tbthb.scaffold'.before. they:y«e;defeated-, : •■', ' 'When.":they',had. gaoled 'al^itie,men,;th«. , : .'..women, would:cairy'on.:';thb:fight-..:"'.-:.;;;; , " v ■--• '.'^: '::::■ )";■>:} '■ 'V: , ' , ';! ;; CCiNpKENCE ::wiTH; : MINE-OWNEESi ! ,! ; y,i '■ ■:■".. : ■.:':■■ j ': '■'-. '. : ' ?";' : ;:.v;^ : ! i :: '-Reeftoh;!\bctpl)er"31;. ; ; ■■'.'■;■'-..' i ■ : A-conference ■took.plaoe'..to-day..-betiveen Messrs; .Ai.W.'.ETOns aud,T. : ,H. .Lee, re- \ \ "presenting ! thb.-minierowners,- and "MessK. . <q . 11;" Fngnn. and ■J. 'Dowgi-ay,' .representinu ., ,' ,J : . 'thoPederation of--labour,"- The latter,two; :; ■ with v Mr;:Evaiis',':riEitedthe. Globo mine. ■ .; ;} ■ Nb''fesult'bf : the' conference'has yet been,' '.;; ■■■made.knbirai'ibiit feeling is ■ ,•» ] .■prevalent.- .}■.";:'.-r'*:: 1 --■■'■:■■.'■"■■'■ '■-■'{'. '■>■"-.■.': '■'■•.)