THE WAIHI STRIKE.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LV, Issue 80, 21 August 1912, Page 6

THE WAIHI STRIKE.

To the Editor. Sir,—T. have noted your reply to my l iter in your Saturday's issue. The. reason you give for the W'aihi strike I here, is not the reason one could have drawn from your leader on the 6th inst. Hence my Icl.Ut of protest on the 9th. And your contention is still that the men strjiek work with view of enforcing Ihe principle of majority rule. And J do not think my letter here would be eomplefe if I did not add that explanation which, to my mind, is necessary 1 to show how the masses of the Miners' Union would luive been affected had the Engineers' Union been allowed to run on without this protest of the miners. If the enginemen had gone to the masters for some improvement in their conditions or hours of labor, or wages, and the masters had been unable to meet their demands: if that position had arisen, and the enginemen struck, the whole of the miners would be thrown out of work on account of these few men (say 00) going on strike. So the miners struck without waiting for that position to arise. I say they are justified in protesting, Ibut 1 do not say that the strike was the best form of protest. Probably the reason that so many of the labor unions have declined to recognise the Waihi strike is that their funds are only, to be used in cases of strike or contest with employers, or it may, 'be that many, of them are unable to see the 'advantages of industrial, unionism and require the "moral suasion and education" referred to in your Ihuler of the. 14th inst. , Now, Mr. Editor., I have to'thank you, for the space you have devfite«l to my effusions, itnd.l haye.no desire, to continue this controversy' unless forced to do so by refutation of any statements I. have mad#, or opinions I have ofl'ered.-rl am, etc., ; ,TEN AX;,

■ . [Our correspondent lias- chosen in ap- J pjrop'riate' nom tie plume, 1 but we 'cannot 1 jtct.Nbne an; so blind-as'those wild will jwt. None is so blind as he- who' will I ijiot see, and probably-it' is too' nmih to 5 Expect "Tenax" tu confess -that' he- -hits" ■ fteeri' laboring under a" delusion. - This can once again be- sb'owri from his'own ■vordrt": "If tli6 'enginemerit struck,' the »hole of the niinnrs- would be thrown out of'work." So the Rwl.'Federalionists ,;ot -ill" first iii 'order to teaeli' discipline ,o the so' to speak. Now, lie'f'nginemcii, disgusted beyond measure vitli the infamous doctrines taught by he Red Federationists and their intoi'rabTe methods, se<?ede'd "from them and -cgistered under. the ' Arbitration Act, it once throwing 1 aside'the" strike wea-. )onj'for whilst so registered strike's" qahlot be resorted' to.'' Tlif/re 'was there'ore absolutely iio ( 'dah£eF6'f flieir strik- , n#" or t<Mise thd ilonijnating ind terrorising, methods/ tYia,t," "the, 'Red i J reifera-tjoui'sts "e.jercised towards _ t'he ;i11 iß tit" ' * icrliplty ' anil' w'jtdi'oirf'an'y'.justification. 1 :)ui''c,orrt\spgnfleni's atrganipt tiiat.'the' Red I^etle'rat'iojri'sts l we're striking io"r.;ik n'iricip'le isMereToa^nhmabJe." ' ' .Hw're-,' im\M tie Reason/ of 'lw'lwpV port being/ forth'c'ominV from'the gveaU' bulli uf .outsiil'e liipojif Jies%ol WjIIoM a few^l,;' , f r ",. ; "-| TT ". \ •■•' •■>■; i' T-Hn ) 'Jiil ; ;