I.—WAIHI.

Maoriland Worker, Volume 2, Issue 75, 16 August 1912, Page 5

I.—WAIHI.

Waihi (North Island) is the, chief goldfield of New Zealand. Not so many years back its industrial conditions were disgraceful. The mines were excessively dangerous, the, ventilation abominable, the timbering vile. The batteries were poisoned with dust, the machinery was unfenced, risk was everywhere. Men did not count: managers were all-powerful. Wrihi was a slave depot. The Great Change. Slowly the gospel of working-class organisation permeated this field, and concurrently a fight began for cancellation of registration under the Conciliation and Arbitration Act. Tho miners had tested arbitration and found it wanting.

Finally, cancellation was effected and tho Waihi Workers' Union —now an affiliation of the New Zealand Federation of Labor—fought through an agreement last year with the mining companies, and also considerably bettered the conditions of all mines employees. The agreement was for one year. Independent of.it, but in conformity with it, co-operative contracting replaced competitive contracting—and this it is believed enraged the mine-owners. The Companies and Their Union. Towards tho term of the agreemen J ii's expiry the mining companies were notkoa'o'ty" iriaki"iig'Tn-~pTrra_oli-' the Workers' Union —in June. The custom had been to let contracts for 5000 tons or more, but now the letting covered 500 to 1000 tons only. Simultaneously whispers began to be revived of the formation of an opposition union, and soon a plot was exposed of underhanded desertion of the one and recognised union of the field. The opposition union was formed. It consisted of a MINORITY of the en-gine-drivers and firemen, and was formed for the purpose of re-registering under the Conciliation and Arbitration Act! TSie Menace, tho Warning, and tha Act. In the columns of Tee Maortland Worker aud upon many platforms, Mr. W. E. Parry (President,, "Waihi Workers' Union) has told the story, of the how, why, and wherefore of the new and separate so-called Ohinemuri En-gine-drivers, Winders, and Firemen's Union, and his statements have never been refuted. We need not hero labor the matter, but so menacing was tho step regarded that, on April 20 last the. "Waihi Workers' Union, of nearly 2000 members, carried the following resolution :— "That, in the event of the enginedrivers forming, their proposed union members of the Waihi Workers' Union will refuse to b« lowered by them." The menace had increased by May 13. Prompt measures were imperative. The strike was declurcd. The Issues Raised. In a nutshell, -ye have in tbe foregoing presented to us several matters of vital working-class import. Arbitration is seen to have a bearing on the strike. Agreements are part of the dispute. The contract system is involved. Unionism and its protection and preservation, the relationship of .sectional unionism end industrial unionism, and tbe toleration or otherwise of factional internecine "splits" cannot be, omitted as the centre of the subject. Tho reader is invited to return to a consideration of these issues.