Huntly Happenings.

Maoriland Worker, Volume 3, Issue 76, 23 August 1912, Page 2

Huntly Happenings.

MINERS DECLARE FOR A DAY OFF TO WELCOME ANTI-CONSCRIPTS. The Battle is on. The sound of strife is in our ears, the din of battle rages. Yes, a battle is being fought coolly, calmly, collectively and courageously in Waihi. When first the call to fight was made we boys of the Waikato felt we heard the call likewise, but it came not our way. >"et life itself is a continual battle, and the struggle for existence is ever with us, and under our present system this struggle assumes the proportions of a ghastly war. Waihi and Reefton are to-day in the firing line at the front-and well they prove themselves. To-morrow we may be or some others might be- in the front, called to move forward. Anti-oonscrlpts and the Union. But to-day, while not in the immediate front, we are none the less struggling, striving, straining strenuously for rights and liberties. Six of our young fellows recently re-' ceived summonses for not complying with the Defence Act. They were summoned to appear at Hamilton, 22 miles away, although we have a courtbouaie, in Huntly. And at Hamilton they ' were fined £2 and costs, in all £2 7«u, or the alternative of one month In prison. Five are serving their sentences. The union has decided to take a day's holiday when the young fellows return, and a public meeting decided to hold a demonstration and to request the business people of the town to co-operate, by closing their places of business fori a half-day. """ " j The sentence of one month is the maximum punishment meted out to any under this Act during its enactment, we understand. Our New Hall. Things ar«j moving in other directions also. The Miners' Union and Medica' Hall, which is considered as fine a building of its kind as any country town in the Dominion possesses, will sho.tiy be banded over for possession. Some have characterised the hall as an ambitious scheme; some t.uve commented on what they term the extravagant luxury of such a building for ordinary toilers to possess; out on such cant—the test is not too good for those who create the best. Toil builds halls and houses and the toilers hare a right to possess of the best they build. How long will we that toil remain content to accept the worst? When we awake to our right to the best of our production, we will be prepared to then take all we produce. Co-operative Store. Our Co-operative Society is just several weeks old —a baby that has come to.stay and is going to grow. Industrialism will hare many handmaids, though only one goal. And one of Industrialism's handmaids will be the oooperatire scheme, to procure control over the food supplies. Let us not be led astray by the handmaids and im« agine they can compass our ends alone. No; but let us not either be too cocksure that we can do entirely without them. Industrial unionism is the power whose potentialities are as yet but vaguely comprehended by the best thinkers among us. Its true mission is dimly realised by some who are called advanced. The rank and file are groping, grasping for something they know they want, but know it only as a child knows when it ories for the moon. Don't despise anything that is likely to assist in teaching the lesson of industrialism. We are the industry. We will control the industries. We will own the industries. Union Nominations for F.L. For want of facilities we have to hold most of our union meetings on "the day o frest." Some of ua resent encroaching on our Sunday for rari--OU3 reasons—nevertheless a fair number of us turn out to our meetings. Sunday, August 11, we discussed the reports from the secretary of our Federation and also proceeded to nominate candidates for the chief positions of the Federation. Four names were submitted for the presidency, not one being a member of our local unni. P. I C. Webb received an absolute majority [and holds our nomination. A close contest for vice-president between two candidates selected outside the xinion resulted in W. E. Parry being nominated by a slight majority. Two names were submitted for. nomination to the position of organiser— T, H. Marshall, president of our union, being' selected. Three names were submitted for nomination to the secretaryship, and J. E. Duncan, our secretary, was again selected to contest t(he issue. Nominations were accepted for three vacancies on our local executive, resulting in Miessrs. W. George (enginedriver), W. Bullough (trucker) and C. W. F. Watson (miner) being elected from six candidates; the last-named was re-elected. Town Board Election. Iv was also decided that we run a full ticket for the Town Board election in September, and that we do not recognise members on an. independent ticket. We still move on, and in our narrow circle circumscribed we think we are the world; while all around us there are worlds whose vastness we but dimly comprehend.—BßUlT.