MR. HERDMAN SPEAKS OUT.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1601, 19 November 1912, Page 7

MR. HERDMAN SPEAKS OUT.

FEDERATION STORIES WILD AND i BASELESS. . POLICE PROTECTION AT HUNTLY, ' ! Speaking to a reporter yesterday, Hon. A. 1/. Herdrn an (Minister for Justiee) said that .it was difficult for -those .who lived away from Waihi to realise .! what had gone on there during the last six weeks or so..' Business had.been.paralysed, the Minister.. went on to re-mark. > Men and women—peaceful citizens—had i lived in. a state of. terror.; Men who' want-- i ed to work could only go to work and return from work under protection. And even then they were subjected ..to .the ■ ; grossest insults. " For the first-time,- he ! believed, in tlio history of New Zealand, firearm's had been used' in industrial ' troubles. "Peoplei should not forget," said tho Minister, "that gelignite and revolvers liave been employed by federationists, whose leaders are now parading the coun-. try circulating wild and baseless rumours. The result ol last week's commotion is that "Waihi is perfectly quiet. Peace ' has been restored, and. citizens can now walk up and down the street without fear of insult or assault. "From the various newspaper reports it is difficult ,to get a clear view of what happened; but at the inquest the evidence' of Constable Wade and of the worker who was shot should help to make clear i what at the present time is a little confused. It is dear that the arbitration- ; ists were goaded by weeks of insult, and ,'i i intolerable provocation into breaking out as they did last week. That is-beyond , ; dispute. . ' I "The federationists are now transfer- i ring their field of operations, to Huntly. What was done at "Waihi in the way of - ' ' affording protection to- men who want to work, and to citizens who want to go about their business will be 'done at ) Huntly. Ample police protection" will be ! given, and the federationists will have to . ; be.showß very clearly that they are not * : going to be. allowed to run this, country,' ; . : ; —I ■ i TELEGRAM FROM MR. CULLEN,, ! , . ■ . PENDING PROSECUTIONS. Police Commissioner Cullea 6tated in ! a report telegraphed yesterday to the Hon. A. L. Hcrdmau (Minister for Justice) that the town of Waihi was . very quiet. ; Some strikers were still leaving; but. j others, and their families, were walking .' ■! tho streets without any provocation: V,or annoyance. , .. . j Tiro condition of Constable Wade, tho. Commissioner stated,-was still improving'. , Mr. Cullen also advised that a batch of i arbitrationists and federationists were be- j ing proceeded against.for assaults,and . breaclies of the peace during (,ho lata I trouble. The cases have teen set down I for hearing to-day week. . j