Heigho!

Maoriland Worker, Volume 3, Issue 87, 15 November 1912, Page 2

Heigho!

The Masters' Ten Commandments for Miners. Harold Collien, late of N.Z., and now of Cfcnbelego, N.S.W., forwards the following:— The following oracular statements, described as "The Mine-masters' Ten Commandments for Miners," should be of interest to many of our fellow-work-ers:— 1. Thou shalt have no other master but mc. 2. Thou shalt not take unto thyself any comfort, nor the likeness of anything to thine interest, neither on the earth above or in the mine below. Thou shalt bow down to mc and worship mc, for I am thy master, and a jealous master, and I will show thee no mercy, but endeavor to make thee keep my commandments. 3. Thou shalt not take the name of thy master in vain lest I sack thee at a minute's notice. 4. Remember that thou workest six days with all thy might, with all thy strength, and do all I want thee; but the seventh day thou shalt rest and stop at home and do no manner of work, but thou shalt do all thou canst to recruit thine exhausted strength for mine services on Monday morning. 5. Honor thy master or his bailiff or his deputies, that tby days may be short and few, for I shall not want thee when thou gettest old and are able to spend thy days in destitution, as I shall not care. 6. Thou shalt have no union, as it is against my will. 7. Thou shalt always speak well of mc, though I oppress thee; thou shalt bo content if I find thee work and pay thee what I think well. S. Thou shalt starve thyself and thy children if it is to my interest; thou must only think of mc, not of thyself. 9. Thou shalt have no meeting to consider thine own interests, as I want thee to keen in ignorance and poverty all the days of thy life. 10. Thou shalt not covet thy master's money, nor his luxuries, nor anything that is his; thou shnlt not covet any other man's bank, though he has six and thou hast none; thou shalt not coret his money, though he gets £20 a day.

There were also about 50 foot police, and thoy drove the crowd, which consisted mostly of women and children, into the Union Hall.