Conditions at Waihi.

Maoriland Worker, Volume 2, Issue 75, 16 August 1912, Page 3

Conditions at Waihi.

" BOTTOM KNOCKED OUT OF

WAIHI."

MEN WALKING ABOUT WITH

PISTOLS

SICKNESS CAUSED BY DISTRESS

AND HARDSHIP

In an interview relating to their im-

pressions of the position of Waihi, the

Cnnciliation Commissioners, Messrs. Triggs and Hally, dealt with the position in the goldfields town.

"Of course, we can't tell you what is in our report," said Mr. Triggs, "but you people, here in Auckland would be asooundod to see the state of affairs in Waihi to-day. I could not have believed it if 1 had not seen it for myself."

"It was very noticeable," said Mr. Hally, at another stage of the interview, "that thero Was a great deal of reserve shown on tho part, of the Miners' Union. There was an attempt, which seems to Have been habitual right

through, to withhold information n> garding the true shite of affairs."

At the same time both Commissioners made it quite Hear that the information which bad been placed at their disposal hnd left not a dark corner in

the whole of tho present situation at Waihi. They had taken statements

from all classes of the community, from about 60 people altogether, and although the Union was not officially represented, individual members had come forward to give testimony. Bvoryone was suffering, and th" tradespeople in particular were in dire straits.

"The bottom has fcpen knocked out of Waihi," they said. "You can't believe how bad things are."

"Fancy." said Mr. Hally. "grown men walking about in a- civilised country with pistols in their pockets." He explained, in answer to a request for fnlW particular?, that s"ni<s Waihi men, engine-drivers they were, carried pistols about- because, they feared personal violence from unionist strikers.

The town was half-empty, the Commissioners went on to say, and there ivern plnccs where people had sold valuable houses and furniture for a. few pounds. Cases of distress numerous, nurl tho hospital wa-s full. One woman had lost her child from diphtlierii, due, it was alleged, to the stepping of the water supply for flushing purposes. The sickness that filled the hospital was stated to be tho result of distress and hardship directly due to the strike. The attendance at tho schools had fallen away greatly, whole families having left the town, and the technical school might just as well shut up for all the scholars that were seeking instruction.

The Commissioners, in conclusion, Tβmarked that they could see little chance of the strike being ended while funds were available for the strikers.