Railway Department and Waihi Coy.

Maoriland Worker, Volume 3, Issue 80, 20 September 1912, Page 7

Railway Department and Waihi Coy.

POLICE PROVOCATION,

OFFICIALS AND BLACKLEGS

The Massey Government lias come out in its true colors on be half of the capitalist' class. The Railway Department stops its trains on any part of the line the Waihi Company selects to dump down the scab labor. The police exhausted every known device k> tempi the strikers to commit a breach of the peace. This was so patent to everybody that even those who had no sympathy with the strike were compelled to admire the self-re-straint of the men. It was common knowledge amongst the general public at Waikino that the police and staff officials of the Wailii Company spoke quite openly of a desire for a riot. We hear a lot about intimidation on the part of the strikers, but they can't hold a cundle to tho Waihi Company in this-'respect. The battery manager at Waikiuo sent a circular letter to all the weak-kneed hands he could think of. tellmg ttlieni that'there .was., work for them if they wanted it, with a bonus of L's. per day while the strike lasted. This was supplemented by ominous warnings (from all the little tinpot bosses that go tx> make up what is known as "the staff") that any man not responding by a certain date would never be taken* , on again. I regret to say that in instances tho bait wa9 taken, a great premium being put on a unionist "ratting" (mark thia intimidation!). Officials have been known to go around the boarding-houses trying to ascertain who were in. favor and who against the company, and unsuspecting women were thus trapped into giving information. In fact, in one instance the reward was free coal during the strike. If there is a vestige of manhood left in the strikers of New Zealand tliey will fight to the death against such dastardly tactics as these. The Waihi Company has thrown down the gage of battle by the employment of "scab" labor, so that the workers should rally round the standard of unionism more determined than ever. — SOLIDARITY.