UNFULFILLED PREDICTIONS.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 1923, 4 December 1913, Page 6

UNFULFILLED PREDICTIONS.

Tirrc strike leaders :ire oxtrenK'ly poor prophets, Almost every prediction they have made lms been disproved by actual events, and it is high time they Ivied some other way of reviving the drooping spirits of th'-'ir unfortunate followers. The mallei' would lie 100 childish to notice were it not for the fact that it is a erne! thing at a time like the. present to raise expectations which cannot be realised. Oa Sunday tiiehfc

Mr. Hickev tried to make his hearers laugh by telling them how the farmers" had filled Use Upawa up to the brim with cheese, and butter, and wool, but that siie could not sail for want of iiremen. But Mu. HiCKEv was wrong again. The Opawa got all the firemen she wanted, and put to sea yesterday afternoon. The same thing occurred in connection with the Athunic, tho Moana, the Maungaimi, and oilier vessels which' the strike bosses declared would not be allowed to leave port. Mr. Dowghav is another strike orator who has succeeded in heaping ridicule on himself by putting on the prophet's mantle. Me told his audience on Sunday night an encouraging little story about a movement among the railway servants to send a deputation to tho Government to ask its intentions in connection with the action of the employers in refusing to submit, the dispute to a tribunal presided over by His Honour Sir Joshua Williams. As usual, the story proved to be a myth, and it evoked the crushing reply from officials of the Society of Railway Servants that "there is no truth in the statement, and absolutely no justification for it." The Auckland Branch of the Society takes up a similar position. At a recent meeting it declined to make a levy lo assist those out of work, and also refused even to pass a motion expressing sympathy with the strike. Mr. Uowghay has another prediction awaiting fulfilment, but something must be done quickly if it is to be saved from the usual futc of Federation prophecies. He declared on Sunday that lie was quite safe in saying that by the end of this week ''there will not be one shearer shcuriiigtin tho Wairarapa district." We have been told quite a number of tales at various times about what the shearers arc going to do, but they, have quietly gone on with their work, and they are not likely at the present moment to throw away good wages just for the sake of preventing Mr, Dowgray's fame as a prophet from being shattered. "Don't prophesy unless you know," is a motto that the strike lenders might adopt with advantage. It might save them from makinp themselves ridiculous in the eyes of their followers, who arc quite discontented enough with the turn of events without being further fooled by silly prophecies.