THE TROUBLE AT WAIHI.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXIV, Issue 23, 20 September 1912, Page 5

THE TROUBLE AT WAIHI.

MORE SURETIES WANTED

WIVES OF IMPRISONED STRIKERS APPLY FOR AID.

(Per Press Association.) Waihi, September 19

At tiie Magistrate's Court a charge against George Midwinter, for following up and annoying, was dismissed. Francis Putman, Albert Hughe;;, Charles o'Toole, P. Marks, E. Worth and Coughlan, charged with following up an old crippled man named Hayden, the Magistrate said the evidence showed most cowardly following up, and in the case of each defendant he was ordered to find a personal surety of £lO and another of £lO to keep tne peace for twelve months, costs £3 7s. Each was allowed till to-morrow morning to find sureties. Charles Harinan, a foreigner, charged with following up, was similarly dealt with, costs in this case £0 7s. The wives of imprisoned strikers applied yesterday to the Waihi Charitable Aid Board for relief, as, owing to their husbands not being present at the roll call, the Strike Committee refused to give them strike pay. Tne Board decided tj refer tne matter to tho Government.

CANTERBURY INDIGNANT. Christchurch, September 19. . The secretary of the Labourers Union, which is affiliated with the *edoration of Labour, telegraphed 16 uiife L-rimo Minister to-day that the Union strongly protests against the imprisonmoii6 or the Wand men ana de-lii-uids bnoii" immediate release also. l„oy wired to Mr. Payne, M.P., on similar.' terms, with the addition "Move in the matter at once. A BATCH OF CONVICTIONS. Waihi, September 19. The following were charged with following free labourers on September 1 in an olfensive and threatening mannor:—Adams, Archer, i'orkin, Onion, hord, Wingate, Lindwell, * eagle, k'ouiig A. Lindwall, and Bond. All btie defendants pleaded not guilty. Charges against O'Grady, Bond, btaudridtre, and W. Lennon, for following another free labourer, were also preferred, and thoy also pleaded not guilty. . . Evidence in support of the lrdormations was given by constables and the men followed. OrJy one witness was, t-alled for the defence, • but the eefondant in this case declined to go into the witness box. Mr;' : Smith, who conducted the case for the defendi.n.s, coutondod that the men bad not boon guilty of anv off/ynco. The men hao only boon doing (heir duty, from the organisation's point of view. _ l'ne Magistrate said'"that it was most regrettable to see those men get into this trouble. It was a question of diiferoncas between the police and mamborjs <jf,choh;!iion. it w.as an offence against 1 public 1 order.i • In the case of the free labourer,. Best, he could not see what good purpose could he attained -hy -following -iiip, up. Apparently the/e syvas, rioj attempt maia oy the strikers' or pickets in the mattor of "conversion." Best must have boon recognised as a man beyond redomptioirnrom ttbe- » strikers' point, so that no "'good effect could follow, and it could only result in causing aimpKfUCO. ,Hay den's case was another example. There was no shell thing (fi3|/poiice supervision iu the case of-- a ;persoii:Jjound over to keep the peace." Legitimate picketing was note-in/the least affected bj signing a bond, and ho could not see ivnere any hardship was imposed. Al. that he could do; was to make an order in the usual form, that these men enter into a recognisance for the sum ol £lO, and another surety of £lO to keep the peace for twelve months. The Magistrate went on to say thai the police would have ho objection to a reasonable number of pickets to con verse freely with the engine drivers or free labourers, providing the men did not absolutely object to the pickets. There was no intention of placing any obstacles in the way of legitimate picketing, and attempts to convert those opposed to them. It was only incumbent upon them not to adopt such an attitude as might cause annoyance to those followed, or provoke broaches of the peace. He xould instruct the police not to prevent legitimate efforts at conversion.

Inspector Wright said that the police wero quite prepared to do as the .Magistrate bad suggested, but it must be made clear to the strikers that they ivould not permit following, if "those followed objected. Gaynor, a member of tho Strike Committee, was charged with an offence in a public, place in a threatening and offensive manner. Defendant pleaded not guilty. Ho admitted being with the croud, but denied being offensive. The evidence of Enginedrivers Thompson and Langdon and the police was conclusive, in tho opinion of the Magistrate, and Gaynor was ordered to find a personal surety of £lO and another £lO to keep the peace for twelve months. In all the cases time was asked tc find .sureties. The Magistrate agreed to give the men till to-morrow morn-

ft would appear from what can lie gathered to-night, that the men who have boon asked to find sureties wili not make, much effort in that direction.

F. Archer pleaded not guilty tc charges of using obscene language at Waikino. After hearing evidence, the Magistrate dismissed the charge against Archer, remarking that In seemed a decent sort of a fellow, and although the weight of evidence was against him he was not inclined tn convict. The fact that proceedings had 'beon instituted against him would act as a warning and a deterrent. Adams was convicted, and the Mag-

istrate said Unit the case was entirely different to that of Archer. Defendant had previously been convicted of a similar offence, but he was loth te send him to prison, and if he would undertake to control his tongue hi' would do no morn than inflict a fine. Adams promised to do so, and when it was see?! that the costs totalled £8 Gs 8d a fine was not imposed.

In conclusion, the Magistrate remarked that the cases so far brought under his notice had made it apparent that there had been some, reason for police interference. The present proceedings will conc'udi to-mi-row, with informations alleging offences '■enrnitted at Waikino. Tn all to-day +won h r -five men were boufill over to the peace. A P'M'tiou of the treatment plant at the Waikino battery was put into commission to-dav.