WILD TALK.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXI, Issue 467, 14 August 1909, Page 4

WILD TALK.

UNEMPLOYED AT BROKEN HILL.

Further violent speeches were delivered at the meeting of unemployed and Socialists at Sulphide street, Broken Hill on July sth (reports a local paper). About 500 men were present. Mr Percy Laidler said he never saw anything much worse in Melbourne than in Broken Hill. If the right to vote was denied to them they would drain the streets with the blood of capitalists. How much more, then, should they be prepared to drain the capitalists’ blood through the streets when the right to live was denied them ? Nothing was ever gained by crawling and cringing ; only by striking fear into the hearts ot the capitalistic classes had any reforms been gained. There were hundreds of men capable of turning the city upside down if work was not given them. If they delivered an ultimatum that within a fortnight they would blow up the city, work would be found for them immediately. If the Mayor told Mr Wade that he could not guarantee the safety of private property in the city, work would be found for them. Mr H. Wood said that he did not want to live on his fellowworkers. There was plenty of material on which they could live in the shops in Argent street. Why should they not have a share of that ? They should demand the right to live, and it they could not get it by quiet means, they should get it by force. T they were re« fused tucker they should take tmker. If the Mayor could not provide them with tucker, they would have to tear the town to pieces. Then there would bt plenty of food for all, as there would not be enough police to guard it. Mr H, Swindley said he was rrepared to stand alongside Mr Wood and, if necessary, throw a bomb or burn a house down. Mr H. Laidler said it was necessary to demonstrate. Let them take possession of the British mine or loot a boot shop. Any man who starved while there was food to be got was a fool. The crowd then marched to the Town Hall, but could only see the town clerk. Later on, however, a deputation of three saw the mayor and as the result of the interview he sent telegrams on Friday afternoon to the Premier (Mr Wade), Messrs Can and Griffith, Ms.L.A., stating that the deputation of 800 men had told him that they could 1 not get work, and that they had ' insufficient clothes, covering, and food. He asked the Government to provide work by canying out the Umterumberka scheme, or other employment or to send food relief, as in 1903. The Council had no money to provide work. » The mayor’s telegram ended : “The men aiegetting desperate.’’