The Strike at Waihi.

Maoriland Worker, Volume 2, Issue 66, 14 June 1912, Page 8

The Strike at Waihi.

All the, conferenco discussion of tho strike at Waihi ended in the matter being left entirely in the hands of the national executive. If at times stormy, tho discussion was nevertheless full of grim earnestness and purpose. And through it tho delegates came fiercely united in the determination to make the fight a keen and victorious oneHaving battled strenuously and ably for this or the other method, each section emerged from tlie mental conflict solid for any cour.,o laid down by the executive. This is disciplined and divinest solidarity! Coufeieuce over, (lie new executive promptly go I to business. It decided to send Webb, Parry and Eraser to Waihi, Scruple to tho West Coast, Howard to the South —and other executive members to their own centres, Wellington being left to tho secretary and staff of Tut; Maohitand Woniaut. A plan ot campaign, of wbieh the foregoing is but a part, was formulated, including an appeal to the unions of Australia as follows:— To the Unions of Australia,— Fellow Unionists, — Greeting;;! At the present time a bitter warfare is raging in New Zealand. against militant labor organisation and unionism. Tbe light just now is centred at the cold/iclds of Waihi and Reefton, in the North and South Island respectively, 2000 men being on strike or locked out. Briefly, the men are fighting for the right to refuse to work with a scab union (knowing that this would imperil all solidarity and working-class principle), and also against the compulsory use- of tho "popper" by ono miner instead of two (knowing that this "speeding-up" means increased risk of miners' phthisis and increased danger to life and limb). These are the main issues at stake, but, in addition, the men are opposing the further introduction of the subcontract system. For over a. month the men of Waihi and Roefton hare heeu "out," and now find themselves not only up

against tlie Employers' Federation, but up against the power of legalised coercion, ranging itself on the aide of tho wealthy mine-owners. We enclose herewith a copy of the manifesto of the Federation of Labor on the situation, and without enlarging upon- the difficulties facing us, urgently and earnestly appeal to your union for financial assistance. The miners of Sew Zealand havo never been backward in aiding the unionists of Australia in their battles and thus the more confidently seek the financial co-operation of Australian unionists equally concerned in the protection of thereat Labor movement. Throughout the Dominion it is intended to promote public meetings of sympathy with the strike and the .Hoofton men and to address every union possible. It is hoped that New Zealand will be made to ring with the disputes, and all involved in them made plain to every citizen. The duty of our readers is to assist in the activity to the fullest possible extent, for a great educative agitation must be maintained which will, firstly, help Waihi and Reefton, and secondly, prepare the workers for the inevitable big combat with the employer.-;' organisations and institution.". As tho impetuous torrent rushes or the strong wind thunders, so we in our irresistible Class AVar. We need meetings everywhere—inspired with the. never-ending spirit of solidarity, and rocking with words that burn and souls on fire for a workingclass triumph. We aro out to win at Waihi and Reefton—and part of the way to win is monetary aid. Let not this be overlooked. Money counts. Finance is indispensable. The unions of the Federation will loyally abide by the levy imposed if they are for the Federation as a whow, and especially for the part in danger. There is not a union but what has benefited by its membership of the Federation, and in cases the levy now asked does not equal the wages concessions gained through the Federation, not to ■speak of bettered conditions in other respects. Fling in funds—cutlniMU ; -tie in the privilege. Thousands of pounds can he found for Home Ride., for Salvation Army self-denial, for English poor-relief: shall not the workers then equal in generosity the help to blood of their blood and bone of th-"'ir bone in class brotherhood ? Tho class is above all—-the class, class, class! Working-class resurgent! Here in New Zealand—and now—we must try and realise that in the reality of the present the ago of real romance lives again, and that it is as possible and as necessary to do deeds for freedom and for love of a cause as in any thrilling past. Hearts may beat elatedly and blood course swiftly—here and now—in the splendid opportunity of swinging along a majestic movement truer and sounder than any preceding movements, in that ifc is for our class and for our emaneir pation. , Every strike i» at once a beacon and a milestone—in its fact a stirring reminder that divine discontent and pro-

gress-making rebelliousness still live awl Ureal lit' ami haw being; in its magnificent making of us ;ill kin, the supremo justification of all workingclass claims! In our work for the strike, in our help lo it. in our standing shoulder to shoulder in its behalf, we may prove beyond question the earnestness and desperation of our needs and aims—and so win to immediate victory and speedier economic liberation. It is necessary that we. win at "Waihi. and we can win at "Waihi—as also Itccfton—if the workers stick together and pull together. Singly and divided wo are weak, but united and together wo are strong. Jlake the fight your light, 0 mighty working-class, yourself part of it, your time, and talents its servant. Shout for victory! "Work for victory! Give for victory I As to the grave danger of bogus unions, we have before cited the cases of the Machine Shearers' Union and the Harrier Non-political Union, but there is now operating in Australia oven a more formidable peril and traitor than either. We refer to tho Free Laborers' Union, led by the notorious Packer, of Broken Hill lock-out infamy, which union with bosses' bribes is ravaging legitimate unionism near and far. Permit tbe "bogus" or boss's union to get a footing in New Zealand and perhaps farewell to our manhood, our standard and our attainments. The news from Kaifangata, for instance, of the registration of a reactionary faction as a union is but one sign of many of tlie enemy's tactics and designs. Following upon .Auckland and its registered breakaway came the attempt at Waihi, and almost simultaneously Kaiiangata is nscd to split militant organisation! Again, the curse of law-made unionism. Again, arbitration is reaching out to strangle us. Fight we must and fight we shall. What say yon, men ? Givo us fighters! Give us Dautons (''dare, and to dare, and again to dare"). Give us a red-letter campaign.