THE WAIHI STRIKE.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXIV, Issue 1056, 13 June 1912, Page 3

THE WAIHI STRIKE.

Waxhi, June 11. Further proof of the inaccuracy of the allegations made by Mr Howard, president of the General labourers’ Union, Canterbury, are furnished by the Waihi hugine Drivers’ Union Kxeculive. Mr Howard recently stated that the majority of the drivers on the field were not members of the new union, nor sympathetic with it, and that employers were responsible for its formation. Details and figures show that the number of engine drivers employed is 1 1, of whom eight are members of the Amalgamated Society of Kngineers (already under the Arbitration Act). The new union’s membership totals 4 J, thus leaving J 1 drivers who are not under arbitration, and of these some have adopted a neutral attitude towards the dispute. To the allegation that employers were in any way responsible for the new union the executive give an emphatic denial and challenges Mr Howard to prove his figures and statement. Waihi, June 12.

The town still maintains a quiet appearance. The forthcoming conlercncc is not looked forward to with any great degree of hope as to a settlement, as the latter seems impossible, in face of the fact that the mine owners absolutely refuse to discuss the differences between the two unions. It is understood that the first general strike pay was made yesterday, A mass meeting of single men was held this morning under the auspices ot the Waihi Mine Workers’ Union. The chairman, in explaining the business of the meeting, said that it had been

convened with a view to inducing more single men to take an active part in the strike. He pointed out in this connection that there were only two single men on the committee, or on sub-committees, at present.

The meeting, he said, had also been called for the purpose of confirming the Strike Committee’s recommendation re strike pay. The recommendation was that single men should receive 15s. per week ; married men with two (or less) children, 20s ; married men with three children, 255. ; married men, four or more children, 30s. The union had decided to purchase stores and sell these to strikers at cost price. The chairman advised single men who could not make arrangements to board at the rate of 15s. a week to club together and “batch.” It was resolved: “That single men accept 15s per week strike pay until further notice.” Nothing was decided regarding the committee’s desire as to single men taking a more active part in connection with the strike. The meeting, as usual, was held in camera. Pickets seemed to be well in evidence —no doubt with a view to locating the origin of the press reports. Christchurch, June 12. At a meeting of the Canterbury Labourers’ Union held last night the following resolution was adopted: “That a voluntary levy of 10 per cent, on members’ earnings be struck, the funds so raised to be forwarded to the Federation of Labour, which funds are to be earmarked to assist the wives and children of the miners who are out of work at Waihi and Reef ton.”