THE WAIHI TROUBLE.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXIV, Issue 22, 19 September 1912, Page 5

THE WAIHI TROUBLE.

THE ROAD TO GAOL. (Per Press Association.) Thames, September 18. With the object of preventing a! hostile demonstration at Waihi on the departure of the president and vicepresident of the Waihi Miners’ Union,! after being committed to gaol for re-| fusing to enter into a bond to keep the peace, the police conveyed the prisoners to Pacroa, fourteen miles distant, by brake. The vehicle left early in the morning. Upon arrival at Paeroa the party of police and prisoners had breakfast, and then journeyed to Komata. The party boarded the train there, and were conveyed to! the Thames, and thence to Auckland! on the steamer Wakatere. There wasj slight cheering by the crowd on the i arrival of the prisoners at the Thames, but no demonstration. THE COURT PROCEEDINGS.

Waihi, September 18. The application of the police to have a number of strikers bound over to keep the peace was continued this afternoon before Mr T. Y. Fraser, S.M., the proceedings opened with a; charge against C. Opie, alleged to; have been prominent in the following-: up of free labourers at Waikino on September 4. Opie pleaded not guilty, and conducted his own defence. In addressing the Court, Opie contended that Sergeant Wohlrnann, in alleging that the defendant was in the front row at the demonstration at Waikino, on the afternoon of September 2nd, had unquestionably made a mistake. A majority of the police called had stated that they had not seen him, and their testimony was supported by four free labourers who had been ex-

amined. The case was dismissed. The informations against F. Putan, G. Midwinter, A. Hughes, C. O’Toole, A. Hislop, E. Worth, and P. Mark', for alleged following to cause annoyance to Engine-driver Hay don on September 5, and against C. Cog hi an 1 and Charles Harman, for threaten mg behaviour to Hayden, were then proceeded with.

Hannan was not in attendance, and the/others pleaded not guilty. Opening for the prosecution, Mr Mays detailed tho incident, stating that Haydon was followed by a large crowd, the accused being among the number. The driver was in considerable fear. On' instruction from Constable Williamson, the man ualked round a certain block, and the crowd followed all the way, thus proving unmistakably that the following was persistent and intentional. Constables Miles and Williamson gave particulars of the following, and evidence was also given hy Francis Haydon, tho driver followed, who said that the following was organised, and some of those taking part pressed closely upon his heels. At on© stage he seized hold of two of the accused j and-misted J&em towards one of the . constables. The attitude eF the strikers caused him annoyance, and he was actually in fear. # , > , Cross-examined, witness said that he was satisfied that he was .being followed for a purpose. He was in fear, and believed that he woidd have suffered bodily injury had the crowd got him away by himself. Re-examined, he said that’ he had not lost all fear, because he had heard that one of the drivers (Sheard) had been followed since the police proceedings had been instituted. To Mr Smith: He would prefer to see more police in Waihi to protect marked men. He could do with three or four more himself.

Constable Blackeley corroborated the evidence of the previous witnesses, and named some of the defendants as among those who followed Hayden. This concluded the evidence for the prosecution. Evidence for the defence was taken to-night in the cases relating to Haydon. The cases will probably conclude to-morrow, when a further batch of following-up tactics at Waikino will be heard.

MORE PROTESTS. Christchurch, September 13. At a meeting of the Lyttelton Waterside Workers’ Union, which is affiliated to the Federation of Labour, it was unanimously resolved that “this meeting protests against the action of the Government in sending bodies of police to Waihi and Waikino, with, we believe, the object of harassing peaceful citizens. Further, this meeting protests against the action of gaoling the men, as we are of opinion that the sentences are extremely unjust.” After discussion the following motion was also carried: “That this union will abide by any decision arrived at by the Federation of Labour in connection i with the strike.”

The Canterbury General Labourers’ Union agreed to a motion of protest much on the lines of the above, and also resolved “that this union places power in the hands of the executive to send men to Waihi to take the place of prominent strikers who have been gaoled, should the Waihi Union need assistance. Also that this union sends its hearty sympathy and appreciation to the Waihi strikers who have been gaoled for peacefully picketing, the laws of the country evidently being prostituted to enable the mineowners to boat the men.”

THE PRISONERS AT AUCKLAND. Auckland, September 18. Another large crowd gathered on the wharf this afternoon to w'tness the arrival of Parry, McLennan and Melhose. A thick rope was stretched across the wharf at both ends to keep, back the crowd, which every moment; was growing in dimensions. The po-l lice had taken every precaution to en-j sure order, and a strong posse of constables took up positions inside the

ropc. A four-wheeler, instead of the prison van, was drawn up at the end of the wharf for the purpose of conveying the prisoners to tJie gaol. By three o’clock the crowd on the wharf totalled 80,000, and as the Waketcre came alongs.de Mr Canham, an official of the Waterside Workers’ Union, mounted on a pile of copra bags, and informed Harry and his comrades, “We’re all here to welcome you, boys, and we’ve knocked off work for tlie day.” He then called for ciieers “for me working-class’ victims of tne big class struggle.” The three prisoners were the nrst to leave the boat, and

were at once placed in the waiting cab, one or two of the executive shaking hands with Parry and telling him to ciieer up. The police then mounted the vehicle and walked along on each side of it until the wharf was cleared. Tine crowd cheered loudly, and there was a scene of considerable excitement and enthusiasm . DISSENSIONS IN THE UNION. Auckland, September 18. Previous to the mild demonstration on the Wakatere’s arrival, some 200 members of the Waterside Worker’s’ Union hold a meeting and discussed tiro position. It was decided that on Saturday morning next, at 10 o’clock, work would bo stopped on tne wharves, and a mass meeting of members of ti:e Federation of Labour should be held at Grey Lynn, to protest against the imprisonment of the Waihi strikers, and afterwards a procession formed to serenade the gaol. It appears, however, that there is great dissension in the ranks of 'the Union. It was pointed out to a Herald representative to-day that there were over 900 financial members and not a third of these were present at the meeting when this decision was come to. The “Moderate” section in the Union now demands that a ballot shall be taken on the question of. ceasing work on Saturday morning.