the Maoriland Worker FRIDAY, DECEMBER 20, 1912. The Waihi Exodus and Present Position

Maoriland Worker, Volume 3, Issue 92, 20 December 1912, Page 4

the Maoriland Worker FRIDAY, DECEMBER 20, 1912. The Waihi Exodus and Present Position

During last week we had at this office as cullers quite a. number of Waihi strikers who were seeking "fresh fields and pastures new." AY© were glad to meet them and glad to try and give them a word of cheer as heartfelt as were our words of congratulation.

AA r e hope that wherever they go the AVaihi strikers will be cordially welcomed. Few men have earned a heartier welcome from all unionists. They put all they had to the touch, and dared to win or lose it all. None can meet these men without realising how terribly false are the pictures drawn of them by the capitalist papers and their miserable hirelings. Almost without exception the strikers are men of character, grit and thought—men whose frankness and truoness arc transparent and whoso straightness and solidncss arc as marked as their courage and conviction. AA'anderiHg far afield from the mining town they made, these strikers in tho main arc where they started years and years ago, an far as this world's goods are concerned. They have been driven from tho homes they slowly got together and the future holds their fate.

As we talked to some of these fine men—of whom to he proud is a pride— it was tragical to hear of hardships endured for the cause. There was one old stalwart who had given -50 years of his life to making New Zealand and had left AA'aihi in his old age rather than suffer tlie humiliation of signing the AA'aihi Council's scandalous so-called "loyalty" pledge of fealty, and with him was an adult son who had never before been out of AVaihi. There were men who had left houses of their own and there were men who had left wives and children behind—all bent on getting together a few sticks and once more uniting with loved ones. There were single men, too, and among the number some who had determined to get from place to place telling the truth about the strike and its smashing. There were m«n who had been driven out and others who bad been jailed, blacklisted or victimised, and others again who would die rather than join tlie scab union.

The strikers we conversed with surprised even us by the unanimity of their corroboration of all wo have printed concerning Black AYeek. They declared that the conduct of the police was more, partisan than wo have alleged. They declared that tho scabs wero bosses of AVaihi, and had the AVaihi companies under their thumb—at present. They expected that agreements would soon he reached between seal) alleged "unions" and mine-owners that would drag down the subsistence level not only of Waihi but at Karangahakc and throughout the whole Thames district; and they said the miners of the Thames, of Karangahako and elsewhere feared what was coming, and were today almost cordially Fcderationist. However, these men were travelling to various points in search of work — regretting nothing, glorying in their fight, bent on preaching the gospel of Industrial Unionism to every worker. They had smiles of bravery, and demeanor of determination, did these men. and their proudest possession was this little clearance:—■ "The World's Wealth for the World's Workers." NEAV ZEALAND FKDKRATION OF LABOR. Waihi Trades Union of AVorkors. Clearance Certificate. This is to certify that ■ is a financial member of Hie AVaihi Trades Union of AVorker.s, affiliated to the New Zealand Federation of Labor, is clear

on the books of the Union at this date, and has, during a strenuous and critical period of industrial struggle, proved his loyalty to union principles. ' THOS. FRANKLIN, Sec. Date: December 10. 1912.

AVorkers everywhere, wherever yon meet v man owning this certificate make, him welcome. Honor him and help him. He fought for you and yours, and never forget that because of his fight the lot of every unionist in New Zealand is finally to be bettered and his status maintained. Such fights are protective and preservative, compelling the employers to concede much ere entering upon them. Members of the Federation they haven't' smashed nor they cannot smash, speed the AVaihi boys on their way and, if yon can, hit hard the victimisation mandate that may have been declared. "Three times three" for the Waihi boys and another for their splendid womenfolk. The men and women of Waihi have earned lasting fame. Their fight, will live. It is a landmark. Grip a striker's hand if he crosses your path and shout "Liberty, Equality and Fra* tcrnity." This is fellowship and life and victory! Death to scabbery! As regards tho present situation re Waihi we quote, from the last secretarial "circular to unions": — "In our report of last week we mentioned that tlie striko at Waihi had been declared off. Prior to this being done, RhouVs, the attorney of the Waihi Cold-mining Company, had given his word that if ihe strikers returned to AVaihi they would not be compelled to join the arbitration union, but would bo allowed to remain members of their own organisation. AVhat was the surprise of the men on returning to Waihi to find a notice to the effect that the employment bonk was in tho hands of the arbitration union, and that their organiser could choose who should, and who should not, be given employment. This tlie strikers resented, and at a meeting held, at which 300 strikers were present, it was decided that the men should please, themselves as to whether they should join the arbitration union. Eighty per cent, of the men decided to leave AA T aihi and lose, everything. ralilier than join ihe. union, and the balance said that as soon as they got a cheque together they, too, would got out of it," AYe take the liberty of quoting from a letter to hand from manly ''Bill" Parry on the meeting of the men and decisions: — "I tell you it was simply astounding to see the spirit of those men after the knocking about they had got both in jail and out of it. As I was sitting on the. platform gazing down on tho faces of my comrades the thought flashed through my mind that there was no such thing as breaking tlie. spirit of such men: it was just as strong as the day they came out. There was nothing else to do but leave the men please themselves. Personally, I felt that 1 could not join tuis 'union' even if I could get work, and I am not going to advise men to do something that I. would not do myself. So it was better to leave the men to please themselves as to whether they went away or joined the. scab union; and fully 80 per cent, arci going away. "We have decided to cut down the strike pay to a pound for a married couple and 2s. fid. for each child, up to 355.. which is the maximum. AYe have decided to land men at certain points in this country looking for work, and we will look after the women and children, as a man will be able to battle. Men who are taking their wives and families we have decided to shift as far as Auckland, but no further. The moment a man receives work strike pay ceases. It is a big undertaking, but I think we can get through with it. AVo should never growl nt meeting obstacles after this.

"There is no doubl/ Ihe Losses are going to have no mercy on us; they are going to iim' the lash of victimisation ruthlessly. Tho company has got nearly all our photos. The police, I believe, have gob a great pile of them, so you can see what is going to take place." But what Is going to tako place is

closer "linking-up" than ever before, and in New Zealand thereafter a constant and mighty war upon exploitation, bringing this country into the forefront of the great international movement for working-class triumph. To the work!