Notes from the North

Maoriland Worker, Volume I, Issue 8, 20 April 1911, Page 4

Notes from the North

(By Bil.i>y Banjo.)

The Waik ato men are anxious upon the housing problem. They have pressed and tapped the "hon. gentlemen" for a considerable time now without any satisfactory result. The Hon. Pv. Mackenzie passed through this locality recently and the Union again moved in the matter. It is to be hoped that Roderic wul step in and relieve the working people from the stifling grasp of the housing monopoly that exists in Huntly> by influencing Government to provide workman's homes. * -x- -x- *■ The power of this monopoly is keenly felt m the above township There are two parties who practically oAvn the AvJiole community When the miner has done his best to win a living he finds aAvaiting him unreasonable high rents—and there's no escape. Land cannot be procured by the average worker. Imagine the Miners' Union, representing nearly 400 men, being unable, despite strenuous efforts, to secure a site for a hall! * * # * The solution is to be found in the adoption of Socialist measures. Meanwhile the. Government might do something to relieve the oppression. There are a few who realise the tremendous possibilities in possessing a hall: library, social meetings, propaganda. Avork, healthy recreation in many forms, and a fostering of that which, makes for progress. Alas! we often find our own forces against us. We find the bfter vendor coming forward and bidding against us with our own earnings! And what about the brain power that has been paid in as "hard cash" as ever was coined? "Facts are chiels that Avinna. ding." -x- -X- «• The toll of the mines! The accidents in New Zealand mines for the last year are appalling. The death list is heavy, and many accidents resulting in the loss of limb are on record. The Waikato mines have a long list of eye injuries, resulting often in the total loss of the eye. These eye injuries, owing to the nature of the coal, are peculiar to the Waikato miner. The other day we received the sad intelligence that" William Young was killed in one of the Westport mines while sitting at crib! Under present conditions the miner from the moment he sets foot upon the cage or steps inside the downcast in reality takes his life out of his OAvn hands. Judging from experience and observation any Hoyal Commission sitting upon mine accidents would be forced to make the following reeomraondations :— That miners a te: m of apprentieeshirj. That piecework be abolished and clay wage. be ir.ade universal. That the State take control of supply and distribution of the necessaries of life. That a six hours' day be enforced with one hour fdr crib. That compensation dues be increased. These issues if properly enforced would do much to eliminate the bleaching

process which the miner's life is subject to at present. * * * Waihi is becoming the cectre of thought up north. President Parry is leading the miners to a fine view of quartz. Gold is showing. He produced a remarkable nugget in bis address upon the Temperature Question, published in March "Maoriland Worker.." Every miner ought to buy an extra copy for keeps. More power to Parry! x- -x- -x Waihi men are progressive. Their thoughts lead to action. They are stepping towards the Legislative Chamber and mean to have a say in the law-making, and what the country shall be and what the country shall not be. When we behold a race of men alert to the interests of humanity we gather strength anew and again we exclaim - "We Avill ari&e." * x- * • Here are a, couple of interesting pages from the "Miners' HistoryBook." Thirty-eight years ago a strike took place involving a big body of men in Scotland. There were three districts affected. The fight had been a dreary one—for lack of organisation. A meeting was called one morning to consider the position. The morning was a stormy one and only three men turned up Avho forthwith resolved to return to work. That was on the Saturday. On the following Monday all tbe stiikers returned Avith pick and shovel to work and many never knew how or why the strike had ended. ■■'■ -x- * _ To-day the Lanarkshire Miners' Union is the central power of the Scots miners. Keir Hardie, the forceful Labour leader, knows how deplorable the position was when Bob . Smillie came forward and took up the reins of action. The Lanarkshire men are noted to-day for fostering the idea and cultivating the vast possibilities of national and inter-national organisation. Smillie is the resolute leader' we have to thank for such a growth. On half a dozen occasions he has fought for a seat in Parliament but has not been successful. I, for one, do not Avish him there. I believe he is in his best place among the miners, just where he now is. Keir Hardie, on the other hand, is better in Pailiament. The secret of a noble life, such as Hardies and Smillie's, is to find life's mission—find the purpose to which Aye are born. Fellow-workers where is the purpose in a life of slavery -—are Aye born to be the slaves of capitalism ? If not our united mission is clear—Burst their bonds and cast their cords from us! •x- -x- -xSlavery—the precise term. It is astounding that to-day in sunny New Zealand there are those men and Avomen who live their lives for their employers and who cannot "look" the people of the township in the "face," not to speak of the whole world, "for they owe too many men" ; there for whom it would be far better if their employers kept all their earnings and paid for the food, etc., which is necessary to existence. * * -xThe Waikato Miners' Union has decided to take a copy of "The Maori-t-and Worker" for each member. A levy has been struck to meet the order. This news is like meeting a well in the desert. The workers are advancing. "The Maoeiland Worker" has already become a force for the emancipation of the toiler. Our journal has a grand and wide mission. Isolation and indifferences Avill yet be overcome. The Morn of Promise is near!