NEW STRIKE FEARED.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1600, 18 November 1912, Page 5

NEW STRIKE FEARED.

TROUBLE AT HUNTLY. HURRIED DEPARTURES FROM WAIHI. WILD RUMOURS CIRCULATED. (By Telegraph—Special Correspondent.) Auckland, November 17. The federationists and strikers having been completely routed out of Waihi aro busy making mischief in Auckland aud at Huntly. Tho situation at the latter town is critical. Tho Federation miners outnumber tho arbitrationists, and the former have been worked up into a ferment by the talcs of alleged atrocities told by tho fugitive strikers from Wailii. The Huntly miners, in short, may strike, and sutih is the seriousness of the position that several extra police hhve been drafted into the town. Inspector Mitchell also leaves for the scene to-night with three mounted constables. Writing from Waihi, the "Star's" correspondent says affairs have taken a rather sensational turn iu connection with the exodus of federationists, which has resolved itself into an organised move. The railway station this morning was thronged by men, women, and children of ail nges._ Houses have been locked up, aud furniture has been left behind, pointing to a quickly-decided exit in Tesponse to some edict or instruction, and information since to hand bears this out. It appears that a telegram has. been received from the Federation leaders strongly advising tOie wives and children of federationists who have already left to vacate tie town at onoe, "as tho arbitrationists had decided to turn them out of tflieir homes." The telegram in question has been oaken to the houses of federationists by two of their women on bicycles, and shown to tho of men who have left. The result has been to cause something like panic among the women and children ill their haste to get away this morning. There is absolutely no truth in the statement that tho workers intend to turn the wivos and children of strikers out of their ' homes. The arbitrationists hove not in any way interfered with women, and children,,and emphatically stato that they have no intention of' doing so. On the contrary, they have offered to assist them in every way in their power. Wild rumours are being circulated which aro absolutely untrue. One is to the effect that the strikers' grocery store had been entered 'by wotkers and ,£2OO worth of groceries stolen. Another is that the deceased man Evans had been badly mangled by the mob. As a matter of fact, there were no marks of violence on his body beyond the wound on the head caused by the constable's baton. Other extraordinary statements made in Auckland, also absolutely without foundation, , have been repeated here. The whole thing is apparently part of a plan to enlist public sympathy. ' Other (information received from Waihi seems to-indicate that an unwarranted attempt is being made to bring about all the effects of a reign of terror in Waihi. It is admitted that, the men who have left the goldfields have had good cause to fear physical injury, and it is fairly obvious that, rightly or wrongly the Waihi men' it present in Auckland feel that it would not be safe for them to be in Waihi at tihe present time. With regard to the women, however, there has boon no authenticated case of injury, either nctual or threatened. Arrangements are being made nevertheless for nil the wives and families of ' strikers to be brought away . from Waihi. A couple of ladies wero sent up to Waihi yesterday with authority . to make arrangements to this effect, and to give necessary instructions to have the plan agreed upon'carried into cffect. A message from Waihi Seems to indicate that unnecessary alarm is being engendered in the. itself in order to frighten women who might not otherwise be disposed to lettvo the town. • The Waihi strikers who havo"been forced w leave the goldfield, together with the men released from gaol, the Federation leaders, and the executive of the old union, are busily engaged arranging the various matters arising out of the recent complications, and the evictions from Waihi. Every effort is being made to have all the families of the strikers removed from Waihi immediately, as it is the belief of the committee that these are in grave danger at the .hands of the Arbitration Union. All union members scattered in various parts of tho country have been urged to communicate immediately with tihe officials in Auckland, as grave anxiety is said to be felt for tho safety of those who havo hot yet been accounted for. _ The Auckland committee intends to continue energetically to organise the members in town, and a plan of campaign is being pushed forward. Offers of assistance have been Teceivcd from workers in Auckland, and the strike officials say they are convinced that when the full details of all occurrences during the past week are made khown and are clearly understood matters will take a turn in favour of the Labour Federation. The arbitrationists, (however, sav differently, 'and are likely to send a delegation to stump the country, presenting their side of the story. CONCENTRATION AT HUNTLY. INFLUX OF FEDERATIONISTS. _ Auckland, November 17. The storm centre in connection with the Waihi strike is no longer Waihi itself. News from the goldfields town indicates that once exodus of strikers and their families is at an. end, the present peaceful atmosphere will' become permanently assured. No important developments in the situation occurred during the weekend, but indications now point to possible ' trouble at Huntly and in Auckland. Several federationists and strikers and & largo number of Tvomoii and children arrived in the city 'from Waihi on Saturday and yesterday, swelling the ranks of those already in Auckland, who include men recently released from gaol. The Strike Committee is making an organised effort to "rally forces," and it is quite evident that part of their energies is being devoted towards a concerted movement to concentrate a large body of federationists and malcontents at Huntly, with what object remains to be seen. In tho meantime the strike leaders and agitators in Auckland have been meeting every train and boat conveying tlieir friends from Waihi. Meetings have been of frequent occurrence at the headquarters of tho Socialists, and the Industrial Workers of tho World in Wellesley. Street. Ah open-air gathering at the Grey Statue on Saturday night wns addressed by prominent "orators" in highly inflammatory terms, and at the Opera House to-night a mass meeting is being held, when the strike leaders and women from Waihi are - speaking. A last despairing effort to enlist public sympathy in the cause is the feature of the whole proceedings of. the federationists now in Auckland. Stories of unheard of .'"atrocities" at Waihi are heing retailed with great energy and a show of truth, and if these are To be believed tho strikers and their families are victims of bloodthirsty hordes-who "would stop at nothing to terrorise and even injure, them. At-none of the public meetings do any of the strikers or their sympathisers refer to the tactics the former indulged in fe- months in "following up" loyal workers at, Waihi and inflicting the cruellest kind of mental torture upon them. There is no certainty ns to what the next move of tho tinemployed body of men and their womenfolk now in Auckland will be. A section of tho waterside workers is stated to bo in favour of a' sympathetic strike, but no definite courso of action has yet been ' decided upon. That the federationists aro concerned about finance would seem to be indicated by tho fact that collections are being taken up at their meetings. Of the 160 men employed at the Taupiri mines and Huntly, only 100 can be absolutely counted upon to remain loyal to the company. Of the rest 160 are "wavorers" or "rail-sitters," and 200 adherents of tho Federation. Until Saturday last there was only one constable in the'town. A feeling of alarm was accentuated by tho methods of intimidation beginning to bo employed against the law-abiding section, and tlio miners wore led to appeal to the authorities for extra police protection. Several constables nnd a sergeantdetective left Auckland for Huntly on Saturday, and to-night Inspector Mitchell, with three mounted constables, will proceed to the sceno bv the Main Trunk oxpross. Further polioo have also been , ordered to Hiint'.v. from Waihi,-

MINERS'WIVES DEPART, Waihl, November 16. About 250 men, women, and ohildiren lrnve left Waihi since yesterday afternoon. Tho exodus is due solely to tlie scare telegrams and to the fact that free tickets were provided by the Strike Committee, which is now stationed in Auckland. MANIFESTO BY MAYOR OF WAIHI. The new union states emphatically that the strikers or their wives are not being interfered with in any way. Members of the new union, who were at the railway station this morning, endeavoured to induce the women to return, but the telegram seemed to have got on their nerves, and they left. It appears tlmt the woman who received the telegram was instructed to got all women supporters to leave at once* and to frighten any wavercrs into leaving, which is slightly different to the account sent this morning. The Mayor (Mr. John Newth) has issued a manifesto, as follows"lieports .in circulation as to tho intended action of the Arbitration Union in dealing with strikers and their families are entirely without foundation. Everv precaution is being taken by the executive of the union to preserve law and order, and anything of a contrary nature is to be sternly repressed. i "Men and women are not being hunted out of the town. Strikers are perfectly safe, and the most false aiid alarming statements are being made by federationists, who have already left, for the purpose of enlisting sympathy. Tho public throughout tho Dominion are advised to give no credenee.thereto. Strangers coming into the town are being scrutinised. Certain men arrived here who would give no satisfactory account of themselves, and wero turned back as federation spies. This course, it is said, will be continued by the union, as their presence here would only lead to trouble." FUNERAL OF F. EVANS. HUNTLY AFFRAYS. (By Telegraph.—Press Association.) Auckland, November 17. The funeral procession of the late Frederick Evans, who died as the result of the- trouble at Waihi, took place this afternoon, when an orderly crowd of over three thousand persons assembled in front of the Waterside Workers' Union offices. The coffin was placed on a motor-hearse covered with wreaths, and as it moved slowly off. a groat procession of silent sympathisers fell in behind. The majority were on foot, but many vehicles were included in the procession. The procession was one of the largest of the kind ever seen in Auckland, and was watchedby silent crowds along the route to the cemetery. The "Star's" Huntly correspondent telegraphs that a statement is made, appear--1 ently frc-m a gCod source, that the miners will strike on Monday. If the members of the new union go to work they will be given notice to get out of tho town. It is .supposed that at a meeting held on Friday this decision, was arrived at. The mine-owners are asking applicants for work to sign the enrolment form of the new union. • It is asserted that for. some purpose the old union is sending along men to accept work on these conditions; . Four signed on this morning. Some days ago the secretary of the hew union was assaulted by four men. He "knocked-out" two,. but the remaining couple tore off. and destroyed his overcoat. Last night he received a warning to quit the town, He has been given to Sunday night to get out. The boardinghouse in which he stays was pelted with rotten eggs,. although a woman in a serious. state of health was also residing there. The house of one 'of the enginedrivers who joined the Waihi Enginedrivers' Union was also pelted with rotten eggs. More Waihi refugees arrived this morning, but somo of those already here left for Auckland'. Threats of personal violence are being levelled against kpown members of the new union. A meeting; of the Arbitration Union will be held on Tuesday night to elect its executive. "MORE POLICE. DETACHMENT FOR HUNTLY. A special train was dispatched from Wellington yesterday. to carry, ! police to Huntly. Fourteen men left Wellington city by tlie train, and a Press Association telegram from Wanganui eays that four left that district; Other men would no doubt be picked up at Palmerston, Marton, and other stations along the line, but tho exact number to go to Huntly ! was not known to officials in Wellington. The Commissioner of Police, who, it inaiy be presumed, issued the instructions, i 9 still at Waihi. ' There has not so far been trouble at Huntly, but the police are being hurried to the town, in case of possible strife there. ALL QUIET AT WAIHI. i Police Commissioner Cullen teleeranhed to the Minister for Justice (the Hon. A. L. Herdman) yesterday to the effect that Waihi wa9 "as quiet as any town in tho Dominion." THE RED FEDERATION. . A MEETING IN WELLINGTON. Another of the periodical meetings organised by tho Federation of Labour was held last night in the Empress Theatre. .The auditorium was packed. It was much the same in character as other meetings of tho same sort havo been. Federationists and Socialists were present in force", and they applauded vigorously at the proper intervals. Very early in the proceedings the audience, at the suggestion of the chairman, Mr.' Glover, stood while ah orchestra played, with muted violins, the "Dead March," in honour of the man Evans, who died on Tuesday last. Mr. Kennedy, tho aoting-presi'dent of tho Strikers' Union at Waihi, was the principal speaker of the evening,' and he gave his version of recent events at the town.. In his recital he used such coarse and offensive language as would provoke disorder in any town if directed at the persons to whom it actually referred. He called all newspapers "gutter rags,"- arid he also traded off Mr. Semple's phrase, "mental prostitution." Ho referred to the opposing workers as "scabs"—seldom using any other term in.speaking of them —and he spoke /frequently of their "dirty carcasses." _He accused tho "scabs" of provoking riot, and he accused the police of aiding and abetting, and even inciting, them. He said mounted police had tried to/ride down not only men, but women arid perambulators. At the 'end of the meeting a motion of indignation against the Government's action in permitting the ill-treatment of Federationists, and of sympathy for Evans's relatives, was enrried.