WAIHI DAY BY DAY.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXIV, Issue 78, 25 November 1912, Page 3

WAIHI DAY BY DAY.

NEW UNION’S MANIFESTO. (Per Press Association.) Waihi, November 24. The following is a condensed summary of the manifesto just, issued b\ the officials of the new union ; “The strike which began On May 13 with a farce, continued its burlesque for weary months, and reached its stage of tragedy on November 12. Never in industrial history have such despicable methods been used, and these, too, to fight an unclean cause, for the whole regrettable affair has been merely a protest against the desire of a section of men who wished to work under arbitration. These men, the engine-drivers, tried federation labour, and found it incapable, unbalanced and hysterical. They found it fighting political and religious fights, and proved that its system was unsound and its tenets unreliable. They cut adrift and registered under Arbitration. Hence came the abused strike to coerce those men buck, and an ultimatum to the companies that they must not employ these men. No conditions of wage were at issue, but merely a point' of tyranny by the domineering so-called Federation, who themselves admit that Waihi provided the highest wages and best conditions in the whole world. Scores of men made from £4 to £6 per week. Some contractors drew £IOO per month. But the die was cast. The loaders saw the : r error, and failed to retreat manfully, and the strike dragged on wearily for weeks.

“Workers’ houses were surrounded by striker®, their wives and even their children hurling filthy , insults, yelling and hooting and behaving like wild animals. For weeks reckless boycotting of tradespeople, intimidating of sympathisers, and the wildest system of lies were perpetrated. Many cases of violence occurred, but the presence of police, especially picked for tact, discretion, and good conduct, kept the irresponsible mobs somewhat in check At-last gelignite was used, a plug with a lighted fuse being deliberately thrown at a group of arbitrationists, whose escape from the resulting explosion was nothing short of marvellous. “On Monday, November 11, the insulting aggressors drew upon themselves an attack by their victims, but the loathsome language to the workers, their wives, and their children continued, and open threats of violence to life and property were indiscriminately hurled at; > them. On Tuesday, the 12th inst., a- gang of workman, on, passing : the Miners’ Union Hall, were greeted'' with base and wholly uncalled-for insults, followed by;a) (pistbl shot.! S "File! infuriated men rushed the hall, and. more shots greeted th4n,oluckily * badly aimed. Only two shots found their marks; an ( Arbitrationist fell, and a policeman received a bullet in-the abdomen. Before falling, the constable struck down his attempted murderer with his baton, and the would-be assassin died in the hospital, ,Jf|i^!;;Cracklingr ( ! of pistol Shots releasedh the restraint of the 1 wotkei'S,’ at tlid ' strikers,’' and in a brief 'time revenged the hideous nightmare to which they and their families had for six months been treated. The police strove to restrain the workers, but were only partially successful. Man to man had to account for many a long score of bullying of women, children and isolated men. Defeat was sudden, dramatic and complete. The tyranny of months was concluded in a few hours. The national flag was flown, and women, hidden for months behind closed doors, came forth into the streets without fear of molestation.

“Now began, perhaps, the foulest play of the whole affair, viz., the issuing of ‘manifestos’ and statements so grossly untrue as to be ludicrous, if not so damnable. Instead of taking their beating like men, every possible lie has been concocted about the work-, ers, the'police and the citizens, even the matron of the hospital (who sat up all night with Evans) being grossly maligned. Since the rage caused by the shooting subsided not an angry word has been spoken, not a blow has been struck. Strikers are now leaving by dozen (at Parry’s bidding), and declare that they are driven forth, that murder, persecution, pillage and arson are rife. As a matter of fact, not a single instance of retribution bj Arbitrationists has been recorded. Those men and women whose mouths wore foulest and their threats the lowest may walk the streets of Waihi as they would those of Auckland. Truly the Waihi strike will be remembered as the most absurd on record. It’s weapons were the foulest and most cowardly (for women and even children were put to the front). On the other hand, the neutral citizens, police, en-gine-drivers and Arbitrationists have come out clean-handed and unstained, and no man can point at them the finger of reproach.”