MATTERS AT WAIHI.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1600, 18 November 1912, Page 4

MATTERS AT WAIHI.

The Federation of Labour, having been utterly routed at Waihi, appears to be no-\v turning its attention elsewhere, and there is reported to bo trouble looming at Huntly. It is difficult to believe thai, the loaders of the Federation, blunderers though thc.v have proved themselves to be, could bo so idiotic ns to em-bark-on a fresh struggle in whioli they have no possible clinnce of success. No doubt they will use every possible device (« cover up tlwir failure at Wailii, and endeavour to win sympathy by publishing distorted stories of the treatment meted out to Fedcratioilists, but how c;tn they possibly hope to help themselves or the men whoso interests they profess to have at heart, by entering on a fresh struggle at Huntly. In their weakened financial position, and discredited as they arc by their clumsy mishandling of the Waihi trouble, they would bo beaten before they be- 4 gun. So far as Waihi is concerncd, matters appear to have quietened down and there does not seem to be any reason to fear further trouble. The Federation of Labour is endeavouring to create the impression that the wives andiamilies of Fedorationists arc leaving the town in fear of their lives, but so far as can be learned there is ,not tho slightest ground for any such fear, and the Federation is morcly raising this bogy in an endeavour to win public sympathy. _ The "warning-ofr' of Fedcrationists who have taken an active part in the terrorising of the men who preferred work to striking, seems to have had a wholesome effect in preventing further disorder. It is not clear what this "warning-off" actually amounted to; and the determination to prevent "undesirables" and suspected. Federatiohißt spies settling in thy. town also leaves room for explanation.. The Arbitrationist workers have no more right to attempt intimidation than had the Fedei'fitionist_ strikers. And no doubt the Minister of Justice will see that if anything of this kind is attempted it will be chocked by the police officers on the spot. The police elsewhere might also keep an eye on some of the . Feder&tionist who, by their grossly offensive lan-~ guage, are most assuredly behaving in a manner calculated to cause a breach of the peace should any of the persjns attacked by them happen to be within hearing. As a rule, of course, it can be taken for granted that these, noisy mischief-mongers take good care to suit their language to _ their company. Some of the noisiest of them cut anything but heroic figures when they found themselves in' a minority at Waihi, but they; havo quickly recovered their powers of abuse now that they are out of the firing liiie.