Strike and Lock-out.

Maoriland Worker, Volume 2, Issue 70, 12 July 1912, Page 5

Strike and Lock-out.

The Campaign for W NIW ZEALAND FEDERATION OF LABOR. SECOND WEEKLY STATEMENT OF RECEIPTS TO STRIKE AND LOCK-OUT FUND. July 1, 1912.

Tlie l: fnangahua Times," a bitter opponent of the Federation of Labor, subjected Manager Winter Evans to the following severe handling in connection with a recent incident at Recfton:—

"When news spread that for some reabom or other the shift bosses wero working the poppeTS single-handed, men refused to believe it, and prophesied trouble —troublo that would extend. This evil prognostication has been fulfilled-. The engineers are about to come out. Those nt the Energetic have loft, their work. In perfect sympathy with the men on tho popper question, they hold that they should not assist in lowering shift bosses to work tho poppers single-handed. No schemo more liable to fan the spark of discontent into flame could have been evolved, and we cannot congratulate the master mind who is responsible for this latest and most significant net on his wisdom. The master mind is evidently the comparatively new general manager, Mr. A. Winter Evans. Mr. Winter Evans, looking through the spectacles of egoism, cannot Imt feel that Recfton is far too small a field for his genius. Surveying the last nine months of his career, he can see-—could he sec—nothing but disorder. Six hundred men or thereabouts (as fine a body of men as ever worked for a company) have left tho employ of tho company, not of their own free will. We aro no sympathisers with union methods. The secretary, like most men suddenly raised to power, has in arrogant confidence mado horrible blunders. But we would rather stand in his shoes to-day than in those of Mr. Evans. We expected so much of him —we hoped he would renew our mines. Our mines may be renewed, but there will be no men to (renew them, and Mr. Evans withowt men is like a Blasher handle without a blade. Africa is the proper field in which he

News and Views.

orkingciass Triumph. can excrciso his powers of management." , - « Bcforo tho Industrial Council, London, tho men's witnesses gave evidence that, no matter what form arbitration, teok, the right to strike must prevail.; * * * Tho following resolution was carried with no dissentients at the Petone i branch of the Amalgamated Society of j Engineers after an address by Mr. • Ross: "That this branoh approves andj upholds tho action *>f the Waihi miners j aud their opposition to the formation ■■ of a separate union, and tenders its sympathy to tlie Reofton miners in I their struggle for humanitarian condi-; tions of work." The resolution was! accompanied by a request to tho head-; quarters of the society for financial assistance. • « ■ Although the Reefton miners say; they aro not going to work under i Evans' conditions, thelre is no reason j why Evans himself should not have a j shot for "popper" honors. ; # * * We, understand that as the outcomo of addresses by It. S. Ross before the Wellington North and Wellington Cen- , tral branches of the Amalgamated Car- ( pouters and Joiners, the mutter of vot-: ing assistance to tho strike and lock-! out has been referred to an aggregate: meeting. ! m » ~ r H.E.H. writes to a Sydney paper that on the other Sunday night when tlie Auckland Opera Houso held an audience of 1700 to hear the Socialist speaKors, 45 people listened to thc Labor ■,

Although the Reefton miners say they aro not going to work under Evans' conditions, thelre is no reason why Evans himself should not have a shot for "popper" honors.

We, understand that as the outcomo of addresses by It. S. Ross before thc Wellington North and Wellington Central branches of the Amalgamated Carpenters and Joiners, the mutter of voting assistance to tho strike and lockout has been referred to an aggregate meeting.

H.E.H. writes to a Sydney paper that on tho other Sunday night when tlie Auckland Opera Houso held an audience of 1700 to hear the Socialist speaKors, 45 people listened to thc Labor Party's lecturer, Mills, in tho old Town Hall."

All over tho world the master-class is planning arbitration acts to prevent strikes. Thoy are so constructing the web that they hope thereby to tie, the next generation's hands behind its back and tlie political Labor Party of Australia is blindly aiding them in their plans. Strikes are a thing of the past, the capitalist press is daily repeating, and the politician repeats what he rends like a parrot.—"lnternational Socialist."

A* a largely-attended meeting of the Kaitangata branch of the Otago Coalmbiers' Union on Saturday evening, June 29, the wholo question of the present trouble was fully discussed, and the union resolved to take all steps within its power to prevent members being drawn under tho operations of the Arbitration and Conciliation Act. Judging by the unanimous feeling of tho meeting, it was evident that any such attempt is going to be strenuously opposed.

Mr. A. Rosscr, secretary of tho Auckland Tramways Union, says it is absolutely untrue that the miners' strike levy is being evaded by a large percentage of tho members of his union. There was no sign of a desire to break away from the Federation and form a new union under the Arbitration Act. * » s »

At the conclusion of Organiser Semplo's recent address to tho Lytteiton Waterside Workers' Union, the following motion was carried unanimously:— "That after having heard the able explanation in reference to the Waihi and Iteefton labor troubles as given by Mr. Semple, this meeting pledges itself to support the men locked out and on strike, financially and otherwise, until the termination of the trouble."

The Dunedin Pressors' Union, at a meeting on Monday night, considered a letter from the Federation of Labor, which asked for a donation towards the strike fund. It was resolved to devote two guineas to tbe Reefton miners, thc money to bo forwarded direct and not through the Federation.

Parry and MeLonnan, president and vice-president respectively of Waihi Miners' Union, addressed two meetings at Auckland last Sunday week, when another fine collection was contributed to the strike and lock-out fund by the esteemed Socialist Party. Scott Bennett spoke electrically.

The Reefton lock-out was the subject of interesting comments in some of tbo speeches on the Addrcss-in-Reply.

Whom tho gods would destroy they first mako mad. Professor Mills on the Federation of Labor: "Fiery-eyed, vio-lent-tongued, scattcr-cash, scatterbrains who tear up agreements and 'throw them to hell.'" We are to assume that this isn't "violent-ton.gn-ed," and that its writer was not fieryeyed when he looked upon it and beheld its lie.

« # * Kaitangata now in the arbitration employers' campaign. And next?

Our Waihi correspondent's budget well shows the forces within the work-

ers' ranks that have to be overthrown when straight unionists are out for their class.

The Duller Council of the Federation of Labor made the following resolution at its quarterly meeting: "That this council, representing the unions affiliated with the Federation of Labor in the Buller district, heartily endorses tbe action of the executive of the Federation relative to the Waihi strike and the Reefton lock-out, and hereby pledges its various organisations to support, morally and financially, any action that may be deemed nwssiry to attain a working-class victory. Further, on behalf of our organisations, we assure our .comrades in thc ficbt of our tliost sincere fellowship in their fight for humane conditions."

On Thursday night of Inst week n benefit concert was held at Waihi in aid of an injured fellow-worker, and was largely attended. A special feature of the evening's entertainment was the number of locally-composed songs dealing with local strike matters and scab supporters, which were heartily received and applauded. The letter written by Mr. W. E. Richards (a striker) to the local press, and which was refused publication on the grounds of it "being disgraceful," was also read at the meeting, and tbe action of the local paper roundly condemned by the audience.

Nartio of Union. Members. Total ' Waikato Miners ... '475 £150 0 '0! ]>>nniston Minors 401 360 0 0: Granity Minors ... 300 500 0 0 State Miners (Duttollio) 400 257 0 0 Otago Miners 241 25 0 0 Gre-en Island Mintera 70 31 1 0: Puponga. Miners ... 54 45 10 0 Taitapu Miners ... 20 5 0 0! Blackball Miners ... 210 334 5 0 Donnisfcon Enginedrivers 20 17 13 0 : Scddonvillo 90 22 14 0; Kiripnka 35 20 8 6; West Coast Workers 300 30 0 0, Canterbury Labor- ; crs 954 18 17 5 Auckland General Laborers 800 50 0 0 Wes'tport Labor Union 190 50 0 0 Wellington W.W. ... 1000 227 2 6: Auckland W.W 750 237 9 4 ; FoxtenW.W 25 i Dunodin 278 39 6 0; Nelson 50 9 10 0. Lvttelton 345 250 8 7 Timara 140 116 10 0 Pioton W.W 40 Pa tea 23 2 0 0 Auckland Tramways 475 46 10 0 G vermouth W.W. ... 190 Wosliport W.W. ... 123 129 18 9; Shearers' Assoeia- j lion 3589 Auckland Browcry Workers' Union... 141 I Wellington Gas Ste-kers' Union ... 35 11 8 0 Manawatu Flaxmillers 623 WestporUStoclcton 150 3(1 0 0 Grey Valley Workers 50 Otago Artificers ... 35 2 0 0 Whan gam Miners... 8 8 8 6 £3043 0 7 Auckland Branch N.Z.S.P 28 1 0 Waimate Labor Union 2 0 0 Napier Painters and Decorators' Union 5 5 0 Wellington Operative Bootmakers' Union 10 0 0 Static Collieries Do- j puties' Union ... 6 0 0 Individual Subscribers 19 14 6 £3114 1 7