REVOLUTIONARY SPEECHES.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 1904, 12 November 1913, Page 9

REVOLUTIONARY SPEECHES.

EFFORTS TO HEARTEN THE . STRIKERS. (By Telegraph.—Press Association.) Auckland, November 11. Between 700 and 800 men, and ber of women, attended a mass meeting of strikers in Victoria Park to-day, Several of the leaders addressed the ciowd, the majority of tlie speakers urging the strikers to stand firm for an* other week when the employers would suo for terms. Some of the speeches were moderate ill tono, the speakers deprecating all suggestion of violence and stating that tho men could best attain their purpose by solidarity. Others were of a most revolutionary character, speakers attacking in turn law and order, the Church, tho newspapers, the Government, and tlio constitution of society generally. One speaker declared that the statement that several hundreds of watersidei'3 had been engaged and that the boats wero being worked was a "newspaper lie," hut immediately afterwards he began to repeat n description of the discharging of tho Mimiro and othor waterside operations which had-, he said, been furnished linn by two of their members who were at riresent acting as spies on th.e waterfront. This speakor _ also referred in strong terms to certain members of the old Waterside Workers' linion who wero expressing their doubts of the wisdom of continuing the striko. He said they should be batoned. A union president declared that tjio fight was against compulsory arbitration, and all other issues should be ignored,. Ho asserted that tho registered unions now on strike were inclined to cancel their registration and would certainly do so if the striko was not. settled within seven days, Many of tho speakers devoted a good deal of time to heartening tho strikers and telling them that victory was certain. They said that 10,000 men wero on strike, although it wns not explained why less than 800 wero present at the meeting, They bitterly attacked thoso Wellington labour leaders who had spoken against tho present syndicalist strike and they declared that under no circ.unvstsi.vces

would'they allow individual strikers or those dependent upon them to go in want. Practically every speaker ao» cused the "New Zealand Herald'' of creating doubt and discontent in the ranks of the strikers and of 'thus striking a blow at the solidarity - of labour. Several speakers suggested that thoir cause would be greatly assisted if tlio "Herald" ceased publication.