SEDITION CHARGES.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXIX, Issue 1704, 26 April 1917, Page 3

SEDITION CHARGES.

ABOUT A TELEGRAM. STATEMENT BY DEFENDING COUNSEL. Auckland, April 24. During the hearing of the charge against John Join-, president of the New Zealand Coal Mine Workers' Federation, letter- and telegrams seized at the time of Jones’ arre-t at Hnntly on 3rd April (a summary of which appears below) were read. They were chielly communications from Arhuekle, secretary of the Federation, in the course of which frequent references were made to Arhuckle’s efforts to get the West Coast miners to endorse and proceed with a restriction of output. One of (he telegrams referred to the Australian strike.

Mr Singer, counsel for the defence, seized the opportunity to reply to a statement made yesterday by Mr Meredith. He said Mr Meredith was probably not aware that the cable in question was worded at a conference of three partincluding the .Minister for Justice, written by one of Ihe Minister’s .secretaries, and senl hy him at Government expense. 1 NI()N COI;BESP()NDENC’E. GETTING THE MEN TO HEEL. During Jus address for the prosecution Br connection with the “go slow" eases, Mr V. B. Meredith read some sensational correspondence. Mr Aleredilh stall'd Hint hy bill February, Arhuekle had succeeded in getting the Coasl mines into line as«i’ar as he could. “The Millerton mini l ,” he added, “would not come in—the men were given a secret ballot, and turned the proposition down by two (o one. Millerton, of which John Dowgray is president, refused to come to heel, for which Dowgray is referred to in uncomplimentary terms hy the members of |he executive, Jones describing him as a man who ‘had been weighed in Ihe balance and found wanting.’ The Kailangala mine (of which Braidwood, a. member of the executive, is secretary), in spite of Braidwood’s efforts, would not agree to come in, and Braidwood tells Arhuekle pitifully that the union there is composed of ‘a lot of wowsers,’ who have amongst them members who said that they did not see why they should pay further levy mi behalf of Semple, on I lie ground that if Semple had attended lo hi- business as miners’ agent he would not have got into trouble. Kailangala also, (o Braidwood’s sorrow, re-olved lhal, at a t ime like I his, ij was improper to lake any action to embarrass the Government, and (hat the conference is uncalled for. His letter reads as follows: —M went lo Green Island on LStli January, and met the executive there. Things are pretty fame as far as the genera! liodv of men are concerned. The

executive was going to arrange, for ii '’■orient I mealing, ; 111 <I try and get the same resolution [inssed as was passed at Xigliteaps. Fxeeutive feel pretty'strong on (lie subject, but tear the men won’t take drastic net ion. Kega rding Kaitangala, the same feeling prevails now as was before the eonterenee on the 20th. That is, they won’t take action agaiust eonseription. The wowser element predominates. When I .read your letter, saying the levy lor sixpence per member for I wo months was one for expenses of conscription and other causes, they wanted to withdraw from federation. But I poinled out (hat suppose they were withdrawing now, they would still be liable for levy. W, Cairns is the hauler of the movement. against it. 1 think 1 have given you a fair report of work done. Kindly let me know if you receive this all right, and how things are going on the Coast. J have sent on my account to you direct, as 1 thought that regainr business would be belter done that way.’ "Bra id wood's letter concludes; ‘To show the spirit of the men here, we laid the circular from X.Z. Labour Party (resolutions passed at conference) at last general meeting, and the motion that they lie on the table and that we take no action to hinder the Government in enforcing conscription was carried by a large majority. Also the appeal of Ted Howard for the dependents of those gaoled was turned down, Cairns moving that in our opinion miners were doing enough when they guaranteed .Mrs (Semple ,C 4 a week, as in his opinion Semple had no right to lie there. He should have been attending to his agent’s duties. The new executive here is built on the lines of Cairns. So don't look for much/ TPUCKLL’S AX 1J TUB "GOSLOW" METHOD. "Prior to a eonterenee lading held, in Wellington, Jones, president of the federation, was in that city. While there, Jordan, the president of the Huntly L'nion, on Kith February reports to him the position at Huntly, and asks Jones to send a message to the men. Jordan writes as follows: *ln this conference .with the employers 1 would admit nothing. If the agreement is entered into clause by clause, liud out their objection to certain things, and if it can’t be settled there and then pass on to the next clause, and so on to see how much they do agree to. The Herald is full of the coalowners’ views and the go-slow business, trying to gain public sympathy. This stuff ought to be answered. I would like you to do so. We have had a lot of trouble since the truckers have gone oc day wag-

es. They are not giving the men even turn in some cases. The turn in‘some parts of (he mine is down to ten and eleven skips, north side only nine to-day. 1 told tin; I nickers if the go-slow system was not in vogue when they went on day wages they could not have come down from twenty to twenty-two to even thirteen. They would have had to truck sixteen or seventeen at least. It was a good tiling for them h. was on. We have to admit that the truckers hold the situation in I heir own hands, 1 have told them ;is far as 1 am concerned this goslow idea will he kept on (ill they get satisfaction. One good turn deserves another. Have you a message for t hmn ! A word of advice J rom yon may go it long way. In regard lo Cariyne place. 1 declared it deficient in regard to back pay. J could see that they had gone through stone, but Woods wanted to know where it was. There wasn't a piece as big as your hand to be seen lying around. Dick told Woods it ill! broke into little Hits, and they could not pick it out. Woods would not listen to that tale. Well, so long, old pal. Good luck and good health to you to meet the situation next week - .’ “FIGHT, FIGHT." “Jordan received the message from Jones as requested, and with a view to keep the men under control copies and posts Jones’ messages up at the pit-head of (he mine. The notice is as follows: —‘Notice. —Mr J. -bines, president,. Miners* Federation, says: —Conference will most likely last ail Ibis week. The press is not admitted hy either side. Delegales putting up a hard light on your behalf. It is your duly to play your part- like men. You are being weighed in the balance. The success of this conference depends on the solidarity of 1 lie coal-mine workers of New Zealand. Il is as true (o-day as ever tlml in unity is strength.’ “The sentimenls expressed in tliai notice, if applied to the war are admirable —applied to this conspiracy, despicable. “Jones while in Wellington receives from a firebrand named Wesley a letter of encouragement, in which Wesley damns (he Government, damns the gaols, exhorts Jones to till (he gaols of the country rather than yield, exhorts him to get into Alison and Ralph and down them, and having sent love from himself and Mrs 'Wesley, winds up with ‘Fight, light, you fight!’ SMALL SUM FOB GAOLED COM HADES. “One of the minute hooks states: —‘The next question was the operation of the restriction policy. Mr Hynes suggested (ha! I lie policy should he lightened in order to bring about an early sell lenient of our grievance. The chairman said that he did not think that any alteration to the present method was necessary. The present restriction was doing good work, and \v;s being keenly fell hy the coal owner--. He complimented the miner- d Ham;--ton on the magnificent manner the! Iliey laid stood the test since llm policy was adopted, and said their loyally would he further tested before this question was settled.’ .1 do not know what Winnard conceives to he loyally. He had every confidence that they would not he found wauling. However, the ieadtr- are not having tilings exactly

; s they would like them. Winnard reports lo Hog some of the men who did not pay their levies, and the Dcnnislon official- a.re much exercised that out of a forinighlnay, in which the miners received something over 112,000 in wages, (heir (■(■nl rihul ions lo the fund for the support of theii-, gaoled comradcs was Ihe munificent sum of Os Od. Winnard further report- that, this mine was 2,000 tons short last month, which he considers shows great spirit on the part of the men; lurther. that he has enemies in Den-n;-loa who are doing theii' best lo

Shift him from the union; that the excMtlive is lighting for its exist--••nee. and advising that if any sign id weakness is shown anywhere a representative should he stmt there to deal with it, INTBIGPJNG A ITH WATERSIDERS.

“Uu 2(Jth January, (Hover, president, and .Roberts, secretary of the Watersiders’ Federation, write to Junes as president oh the Coalminers' .federation; ‘The executive of the Watersiders’ Federation does not think it advisable miners to act, relying on our support, until yon receive the decision from the Waterside Workers’ .Federation/ On 31st January a further communication states; ‘We are withholding further action until we hear from your organisation. On Ist February, Roberts wires Jones: ‘Position in Wellington good re new conditions, and in continuing this by letter, adds that his executive has agreed to Jones' proposals, but advises that no action be taken as far as water-workers are concerned. On 3rd February Jones wrote, to lioherts as under: —‘I hope you intend to continue putting into effect what is understood as being the new conditions. In reference to the miners taking any action relative to the watersiders, I agree with you that it would not be wise, but they have unanimously agreed to act upon the new conditions proposed and understood be!ween us (i.c., as far as all miners in the Forth Island and some of the South Island as well. I have not received information from Arbuckle re the latest unions he has visited). It is being acted upon in this district at present, with the understanding that this is brought about with the sole

purpose of bringing pressure to bear upon our employers to meet us in conference. 1 have made no secret of this. I shall be pleased to receive word from von of the position from time to time. Stand linn on flic new conditions, and personally 1 think that success awaits us in iite near future. If you think it necessary to confer on any matter, just drop me a wire, and if any way possible 1 shall be there immediately. But whatever will lie done, 1 hope you will not waver a jot from the position we diseussed before 1 left Wellington. I am of the same opinion still, and believe my organisation will stand (inn to the last. Keep the red Hag Hying.—Yours in the light, John- Jones.’ ”

Mr Meredith also read other strongly-worded communications.