THE HUNTLY STRIKE.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXVII, Issue 42, 20 October 1913, Page 6

THE HUNTLY STRIKE.

ALLEGED VICTIMISATION.

[Per Press Association. | Auckland, October 20

A mass meeting was held in the Union Hall at Hu’ntly on Sunday. It is stated that sixteen miners have received notice from the Taupiri Coal Company that their services would be dispensed with. t The directors have been approached and asked to reinstate the dismissed men, but decline to do so. They stated their intention to dispense with the services of more miners at an early date. Three of the dismissed' men were members of the union executive. Victimisation was alleged.

The miners present resolved almost unanimously to decline to resume work until the dismissed men were reinstated.

THE FEDERATION VIEW.

Wellington, October 20

Mr P. H. Hickey, secretary of the United Federation of Labor, in a statement to-day, says -“The Company never employs more than 000 men, and had not even that number when the strike took place. As for shortening hours it is significant that while the Company found. it incumbent to dispense with sixteen men in their alleged shortage of trade, at least fourteen had been engaged since the notice of termination of service was handed to the sixteen.” Mr Hickey adds; “The men maintain that the attitude of the Company is one of intolerance to unionism, and that a,number of active unionists were deliberately sorted out for the express purpose of intimidating the union as a whole. Take, for instance, some of the men dismissed. The men’s check inspector, J. Patterson, a man who was elected by Ins fellows to make a periodical examination of the mine in order to'see if proper precautions were taken to protect life and limb, is sorted out for dismissal, despite the fact that he has been in the Company’s employ for five years. The other members of the union executive. Ward and Smith —one with four rears’ service and the other with two l_were also dismissed. The length of service of other dismissed men was three, nine,, five, and-thirteen yeans.