Strike and Lock-out.

Maoriland Worker, Volume 3, Issue 79, 13 September 1912, Page 1

Strike and Lock-out.

News and Views.

I Pat Fraser is at Gisborne doing clever I propaganda. j*' * * Webb cables that Port Pirie Trades Council has' endorsed strike and lockout and will render aid. * * * A second £500 to hand from Broken Hill. * * * Brennan (Northern Colliery Employees' Federation) cables from Newcastle that another £400 has been despatched. * * * Gormanston miners cable that another £25 has been sent. * * * The child of the Labor agitator described Judas Iscariot as the man who "scabbed" on the rest of the apostles—Christchurch "Evening News." * X * Tlie following verso from the Sydney "Worker" is commended to tho "Voice" IN LABOR, the capitalist press, and the whole tribe of calumniators of the Federation of Labor: — There's a knack in the art of mudthrowing! There's really some practice required, And a point that is well worth the knowing Ere filiili at the target is fired Is this: Hurl it round full and plenty, For, provided it's plastered on thick, The chance is that, say, out of twenty Large drayloads—well, some's sur3 to stick. * * * Hickey's Australian letter concludes with a note of deserved praise for tho immortalised minors of Granity, Blackball, Runanga and Denniston. *>:• * * Gad, but "The Vag." puts finely the levy history and position. * * * West Coasters, writes a pal, are fully realising tho value of a straight and true workers' paper and deem The WonKEu, a credit and a power. The new shape and newsy get-up are popular. No influence on earth will destroy the paper. It is a'household topic (This is rMitiuj'iis, but "jl./w. -"iVoKKER isn't near at its best yet. By-and-bye, it will appeal to every worker and to every wife and child of the workers and all for them above all else.) * * # Organiser Semple has bepn holding firs (.-Tate meetings right through tlo West Coast. He seems able to draw larger meetings nowadays than ever before. The Coast rank Mid file is determined to win at all costs. And that spirit never gives in and never loses. * # * "One of the 61" writes pertinently reviewing the somersaulting performances of the Grey-mouth Waterside Workers' Union, and asks this question as a wind-up: "Will someone kindly tell mc if there is anything ho can think of that this union would support through thick and thin for 12 months, or would he care to have the support of a majority of this body? Anyway, the minority are all right, and we are not despairing of the majority. With such stalwarts as there are among the Greymouth wharfies, one cannot despair. They are bound to exercise a tremendous educative in/fluence. Even now there is a revulsion of feeling against the tuming-down< action of the union re the Federation, and the voluntary levy contributors are increasing in number each week. Hope on 1 * * Mr. T. Kennedy, secretary of the Otira branch of the West Coast Workers' Union, -when passing through j Christdmrch on his way to Wellington to give evidence before the committee set up by Parliament to consider the Otira tunnel question, said to an interviewer: "I am going to give my evidence regardless of the Federation and employers. I will speak of what I know and nothing else. I have been working at the head of the tunnel as a machine man, and can say that the men are dissatisfied. It is of no use talking about Arbitration Court to them. They will not hear of it, and we think the Federation is going to be a big firing in this country. The trouble at Waihi was caused by the employers thinking that they could deal the Federation a heavy blow by the formation of a union to register under the Arbitration Act."

The Campaign ior Workingclass triumph-

Thus a friend from Broken Hill, and one capable of judging i "Paddy .Webb" is here. He spoke for two end a-halfi' hours on Sunday night, and I got ft pleasant surprise. He was really splen-* did. I could have sat and listened tof him for a week." "- * » Mark Fagan and Tim Armstrong ad* dressed a splendid meeting of Wellington watersiders while im Wellington, over 600 present. The speakers met. j with a rousing reception. Mark left- | for Christ-church last Friday, and in-jf tended holding a meeting there." Timl • took a run up the line. It's good for l executive men to hold meetings opott** meetings. * * * After you have read your Wobkeßj! post it to a friend in Australia, Wyftft have ample evidence from those trhm havo received the paper in thi» ?»a& -olj its usefulness. ** , « R. Semple: I feel sure we must win this fight. lam not concerned ab-oub tbe few rotters who are deserting oltf* organisation. The coward ia no- VSo W a fighting movement.•- ---* * * "Jim" Roberts, a trustee of tib© Fed-! eration and its vice-chairman at ltyst conference, has lost his job at the Wellington gasworks, like other militant/ stokers who fought against arbitration, and who were easily dispensed with, when the introduction of labor-saving machinery offered a chance. Roberts is. rot the sort to be silenced, however. * * * The directors of th© New Sylvia mine wired to the Miners' Union at the Thames as follows.—"The Thames Miners' Union being a union under the* Arbitration Act, the directors hold responsible any man who strikes because of the employment of men belonging to another union. The directors cannotj discriminate." * is * At last meeting of the council of th% Wellington Chamber of Commeoroe' at communication dealing with tthqjqonf - dition of affairs at Waihi came up foil consideration. The secretary of tko> Waihi Drivers'. Defence Fund, Auck-. land, wrote asking for the support p$ the public for the members of the Waihi, Drivers' Union during the time of tSie strike. The appeal, after setting oufl tlie facts of the case, enclosed a form guaranteeing so much for so long fop the support of the wives and children cf the sufferers. It was asked that the appeal should be circulated] amongst the members of the chamber. It was decided that a list of members of the chamber should be supplied tot the applicants so that a direct could be made. **■ * « There are some queer bigot, planted! here and there upon the earth, and ln ! New Zealand one meets many strange) types of mankind, often personally, but) more particularly in the correspondenoe' columns of tlie papers. Here's a letter to the editor of the "Otago Daily, Times" from a human freak with warp**--ed and twisted ideas that ought Boon to ensure his committal to a hinatltf asylum:— "MORE ASSISTANCE TO THB) STRIKERS. "(To the Editor) "Sir, —In a recent issue of the 'Daily* Times' there appeared, under the abovo heading, the following intimation J The* Broken Hill Miners' Association has voted £500 to the Waihi strikers.' . ask why should this association 'be allowed to send its money to New Zealand to help a body of law-breakers In their efforts to work loss and ruin to the mine owners? I would advocate legislation on the lines of the Tattersall sweep, and would not allow money to pass through tho post to or from towns across the sea that is to be used in connection with strikes or other uni lawful proceedings. With help from across the seas and preference to union- . ists, strikers revel in 'beds of clover.' —■• I am, etc., * TASMAN." This editorial footnote was*appended t "Our correspondent apparently overlooks one fact—namely, that as the Waihi Miners' Union was not register-* ed under the Arbitration Act the strike \ is not in itself illegal.—Ed. 0.D.T." j