That Pianist!

Maoriland Worker, Volume 2, Issue 70, 12 July 1912, Page 10

That Pianist!

m Mrs. Dale, who got the Watersiders' Donation! FACTS FROM WAIHI.

Waihi. July 2, 1912 Mr. L. Glover, Socialist Hall,

Wellington

Dear Comrade,—Your letter re the girl who was dismissed from Fuller's Picture Show to hand to-day. and I will endeavor to mako the position as clear as possible.

In tbe first place, there was no girl dismissed from Fuller's. Sho is a married woman —a Mrs. Bale. Hor husband is ono of those creatures who remained loyal to tho Waihi Co. when wo came out on strike. Ho continued working in the battery at work other than his usual occupation or, in other words, he took the place of a man who was out on strike —so it is unnecessary for mc to state what such a man should be designated.

Since the commencement of the strike Mrs. Dale was engaged to play tho piano at Fuller's Picture Show, hor husband in tho meantime earning sufficient to keep her; and I might also state that tho pnrson whose placo she took as pianist was a nuuriod man with a family and also a union sympathiser —her engagement being tho result of the very thing we arc most opposed to, undercutting. Sho secured tho engagement because her services were cheaper than that of the man whose placo Bhe took.

Tho foregoing facts were announced at a mass meeting of tho union, and from that date tho attendance at Fuller's Pictures fell away, and, of course, Fuller being alive to the fact that hoT presence, was detrimental to his business, saw fit to remove her.

This man Dale was never accused by this union of being a member of the scab union—that statement emanated from tho brain (?) of ono of the capitalist press representatives, who hoard something of tho matter and used it against us.

As far as tho action taken by members of this union in connection with tho matter is concerned, they have done nothing that they would not do again under similar circumstances and nothing that other unionists engaged in a fight with the masters would not do.

I am afraid tho Wellington watorsiders aro just looking for a loophole. However, I trust that I have, made this matter sufficiently plain to let the most biassed see that wo havo done nothing to bo ashamed of, even although wo had to enter our protest against the scabby actions of a man *hrough his wife.—l remain., yours in ibe- rumpus, C. Me.MILLAN, secretary, Waihi Workers' Union.