LATE NEWS.

Hokitika Guardian, 24 April 1917, Page 4

LATE NEWS.

Pan Press Association. —Copyright

CONSPIRACY charge.

The Go-slow Policy

AUCKLAND, April 23. j Charges against coal-miners arrested . at Hnntly and Runanga in connection ‘ with the “Go-Slow” policy commenced at the Police Court to-day. Mr. Meredith Crown Solicitor conducted the prosecution, and Mr. Singer L represented nH the accused. The 'first charge taken was against . John Jones President of the New Zealand federated Coal-Mine Workers’ bn ion. . The other defendants were mmandedj it/ill Thursday. Jones was 1 charged that at Iluntly and elsewhere in the Dominion, lie conspired with Joseph O’Rrien, John Arbuckle, Thomas Fraser, John Camming, and John Winno r to encourage the continuance of a seditious strike at. Hnntly. 1 Mr. Meredith in his opening speech covered the whole of the prosecutions. He said that for a considerable time there had been restriction placed on the coal output from the various Dominion mines. The Court would have do bo satisfied there was a seditious svinve then, and that defendants were parties to the strike. The first part of the charge would he proved by evidence os managers of the 'Hnntly, Waipa, Pukemiro, Denniston, State Stockton, Paparoa and Blackball mines, showing that go-slow policy was engineered on the part of miners. The reduction in output was so defined that there was absolutely no answer but that of an engineered strike. The action of the men also established the admission of “goslow.” Correspondence seized disclosed the whole plot ,the names of the parties by wh<|m it was engineered and object of the conspiracy. MT. Singer interposed that there was nothing to show that the men were anti-con,sicriptionists and lie wished it to be known that these men up till their arrest had strenuously endeavoured to prevent a strike against conscription. Mr. Meredith said that he was not prepared to admit this. Telegrams would be produced showing that when the Australian coal strike was on tho New Zealand Federation was prepared to hang up the coal industry of the Dom inion if it would oblige the men in Australia. One cablegram read : “Wo have . granted the New Zealand Government permission to load the Kaiapoi with coal for Albany for hospital ships and New Zealand troopships only. Wire immediately whether this „ui affect the Australian position and whether wo are at liberty to agree to further supplies for such ships.” To the credit of the Australian miners, continued Mr. Meredith their reply was that New Zealand should load coal for troop and hospital ships;. But tho fact remained that the Coal Miners* Federation was prepared to sacrifice hospital ships and troopships or anything else, if it was advisable for their own purposes. Another Charge. DUNEDIN, April 23. Alfred Wm. Coleman, miner from Runanga, arrested last week m the Green Island district on the charge of inciting a seditious strike appeared on remand at the Police Court this morning. The prosecuting counsel said that accused who had recently come from Runanga where a strike had been in progress for some time, intended holding a meeting at- Green Island. Detectives and a constable went to Fairfield where they saw accused and four other men outer a local school house. Accused addressed them, and as a result of what he said he was arrested. Accused was convicted but remanded lor a week for sentence to allow of inquif- . ies to he made as to his antecedents.

A Gore Protest

GORE, April 23 A largo meeting of farmers on Saturday passed a resolution indignantly repudiating the statement-by Mr. O’ 'Brien in the “Maoriland Worker” that down in Southland there is an extraordinary development of opposition to the idea of conscription remaining on the Statute 'Book and almost every farmer here is a sympathiser with the miners. The meeting urged the Government to subdue the strike and pledged their support. Racing Affairs. WELLINGTON, April 29. The New Zealand Racing Conference has appointed a Confmittee to consult with the Government, and to consider how far it is desirable during the war to curtail racing ,and with power to take such measures as may be necessary from time to time in relation thereto, *

The Executive of the Trotting Conference have adopted a similar course.