THE WAIHI STRIKE.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LV, Issue 109, 24 September 1912, Page 5

THE WAIHI STRIKE.

RESUMPTION OF WORK. By lelegraph—Press Association. . . Waihi, Monday. , " ™P°. r 1 t . ant announcement is made t>y the \Vailu Company in to-day's Daily lelegraph.. The company gives special once to each and every contractor, whose contracts with the company on and above the 1000 feet level are still subsisting and incompleted, that the mine will be opened for ordinary work on \\ ednesday, October 2, at 8 a.m., and tJiat they are required at such time and place to continue the work under their contiact, failing which the company will not wait any longer for the performance of the work, and the contract will be cancelled, so that other men may be employed to carry on the work of" the mine. The advertisement is signed by Mr. Barry, superintendent.

SITUATION' AT WAIKINO. ... , . Wailii, Monday. \\ aikmo is quiet and orderly. The arbitrationists are now unprotected by the police and proceed to work unmolested. Work at the smithy and other parts of the battery are proceeding. Trials of the machinery have taken place .preparatory to the resumption of crushing A number of federationists are residing at the hotel used by the arbitrationists. Things are hardly so quiet outside Waikino, when faction meets faction. At a meeting at Waitekauri, attended by seveial members of both sides, arguments arose with reference to the strike, and fisticuffs were indulged in. With a few trifling exceptions, rendered necessary bv local conditions, the rules of the Thames Miners' Union have been adopted by the union formed at Waikino, which is named the Ohinemuri Mine and Battery Workers' Union.

AUTOCRATIC HOTEL EMPLOYEES.

Waihi, Monday. A demonstration took place outside Sheffield's Commercial Hotel on Saturday evening. Sheffield states that on Thursday night four girls interviewed Mis. Sheffield, stilting that thev would not work with one girl, a laundress, as her sympathies were not with the stiikeis. Mrs. bhefiield replied that she could not be dictated to as to whom she employed, and if they didn't like working with the girl, to take.,4B hours' notice. This was accepted,- and expired on Saturday night. A report was current that the ifirls refused to work, because. they had to wait upon the policemen. There is no truth in the rumour. The question of waiting on the police never cropped up. The girls left the hotel on Saturday night and were lustily cheered by the crowd outside. Sheffield says he hasn't been put to anv great inconvenience by the event, and is expecting some gi-rls from Auckland in a few days. Ije also states there was a needlewoman in the hotel who was waited on by tin; union executive and cautioned not to wait on the policemen.

RESOLUTION OF SYMPATHY. Auckland, Monday. A meeting wan held in the Opera House last evening protesting against the imprisonment of the Waihi strikers. The speakers included Mr. Semple, and the following resolution was carried without dissent''This meeting of Auckland workers demands the immediate release of the Waihi strikers in gaol, whose only crime has been loyalty and duty to their own classes. We further unhesitatingly endorse their action in going to gaol rather than be placed under police supervision, -with all its pernicious liberty-snatching. We pledge ourselves to act in whatever manner may be deemed advisable. Mr. Semple states that he intends to leave Auckland for Wellington to-night. He intends to organise, a demonstration at the end of the 'week in Wellington. Palmcvston North. Monday.

A resolution was passed by the executive of the Flaxmill Workers' Union on Saturday emphatically .protesting against, the imprisonment of the strikers at Waihi.