THE WAIHI STRIKE.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LV, Issue 117, 3 October 1912, Page 5

THE WAIHI STRIKE.

WORK RESUMED.

HOSTILE DEMONSTRATIONS.

THE WOMEN PROMINENT.

POLICE PROTECTION.

By Telegraph.—Press Association. Waihi, Last Night. The follow! jg up tactics of striker* and women when the men went to work this morning were very persistent. A batch nf workers munbering about fourteen started off under police ■escort from the Central Hotel, Meanwhile an immense number of men and women had congrc. gated in the v-cinity of the hotel, and as the workers stepped on to the pavement they were assailed with a volley of names such as "scabs," "traitore," etc.. from the women as well as from the men! the women adopting the much more aggressive atUtude than their male associates. Tine police, under Sergeant Miller, who formed an escort, also came in for a good deal of abuse. Expressions such as "You blue-coated ricabs." were hurled at them by both men and women. The latter closed in ■on the police and •workers in such a way as to cause the police some little bother in geting along. One of them, holder than the rest, made a mild attack on Sergeant Miller, who turned instantly and demanded the name of the woman. She immediately denied having committed an assault, and a chorus of voices took up the cry that ■■lb; re was no assault.

A procession i\:!,i headed by women bearing a banner. Hundreds of nonworkers had tickets attached to their hats, with tine inscription' "Remember W'.iihi and the gaoled strikers." wh'.ii numbers of women bore placards inscribed "Don't be traitors to your clans." Two women stood on the footpath ojjpositc Ko. 5 shaft with a, banner on which was printed "Workers of the world, ritvte." After a while they proceeded alon,; feeddon street, and occupied a vba on the road which passes the Grand Junction mine. They were followed by abjut fifty of the women.folk, who after asecriding the rise, sang with much vigour, "The Red Flag." The banner was then transferred to the mounted pickets, who cantered through the town, two abreast, with the emblem uplifted. Scarcely had the sound of the mine whistle died away when a shout went up from a group of von-workers that "The masters are calling us to work, but we are not going," "and not likely to this side of Xmas," added some of those standing round. Throughout the day knots of Iwtli sexes gathered in the streets, and cheering and booliooing took place at short intervals as something turned l up which pleased or annoyed the gathering.

The demonstrations on men coming oiV the shift this afternoon were of a much more pronounced character than in the morning, and but for the adequate protection of the police it would have been difficult to predict what might have happened. Men, women and boys hooted and screeched till they were hoarse. The noise nt times wis almost deafening. A youth threw a stone amongst the workers who were being escorted to their homes. Police Commissioner Cullon happened to witness the act, and in a moment he seized the culprit and handed hint to the custody of two constables. A number of school cadets took up a stand where the workers passed down the track off the company's property, and on the appearance of the latter they gave them three hearty cheers. In two or three instances the wives of the escorted workers met their husbands at the gate, facing hundreds of hooting and screeching men and women. The news received here to-night that 25 men, IS of whom are experienced miners, have been sent from Auckland by the Waihi Company is not credited: by the strikers. The feeling against the company and those who resumed worktoday is intense, and the following-up tactics of today are to be continued. The strike committee contend that only four members of their Union have resumed work.

"LOOK OX THIS PICTURE AND ON THAT."

THE POINT OF VIEW. Wellington, Last Night. This morning the following telegram was received by Mr. Pryor, secretary of. the New Zealand Employers' Association: "Over 200 men started this morning, including miners, drivers, mechanics, blacksmiths, etc. The Federation demonstration was very flat. The women were prominent." The Federation of Labor has received the following telegram from Mr. ( P. Fraser, member of the executive now at Waihi: "Great success here. Only four i miners by occupation, three of them employed on the surface, return to work. Twenty others were drafted from Waikino, mostly Maori boys and derelicts. There was great enthusiasm. Crowds of workers and their wives were everywhere."

RESOLUTIONS OF SYMPATHY.

Wellington, Last Night,

The Waterside Workers' Union unanimously passed a* hearty vote of confidence in Mr. Robert Semple, the organiser, adding: "We admire the militant attitude adopted by him in fighting ilie battle of class warfare existing today in our midst against the despots of capitalism, who are trying to crush out of existence the Federation of Labor, the executive of which body we are pledged to support to the bitter end, and which body we, as a body of workers, have legally and duly elected to act as our honored representatives in any industrial dispute that may arise between the workers and the employing class." The Thorn don branch of the Amalgamated Society of Railway Servants passed a resolution protesting against the imprisonment of the men at Waihi, and commending them for the stand they have taken in upholding their principles.

MR. RHODES INTERVIEWED. e-sw I Waihi. Wednesday. Mr. Charles Rhodes, uttorncy for the .Waihi"Company, interviewed, said: ''l am well pleased with the response made today. ,1 believe it a good augury for the 'future successful working of the mine. The loss lias been considerable, but there was the important principle of. the right of the men to think and act for themselves, so long as what they did was constitutional and in full accord with the law. I am hopeful that the other men, after calm and careful review of the position, will decide to adopt the same course as those who have returned, and will return to work." Asked as to the position of contracts formerly existing,, he said: "The contracts of all those who today did not respond to the comnany's offer to them to resume work will be cancelled. The company cannot go back, but must now no on. Wc endeavoured to make as fair a proposal as we could to the men when we offered them a resumption of their contracts without any penalties. I thought we had dealt with them in n liberal spirit. I am sorry that the contractors did not resume to-day, but I am hopeful that, with further mature consideration and the assurance that ample protection will be available, to en-

able them to carry out the work, further additions will be made to our working staff. To-day there arc men working in various departments, and we ar« confident the number will be gradually added 1 to. We do not seek to penalise the men in any way. Our action, throughout the whole dispute proved that, but liberty of thought and action can surely be claimed by any man and backed up by the .forces of law and order. It is to be hoped this unfortunate dispute will aoos be ended and work resumed as heretofore."

MORE MEN SENT . Auckland, Wednesday. The Waihi Company sent 25 men frdM Auckland to Waihi to-day, including 18 practical miners, the others having underground experience.

CONTRACTS CANCELLED. Waihi, Wednesday. An official announcement was mad* this morning relative to contracts that were in hand when the strike commenced, to the effect that all contracts which were not manned this morning haye .been cancelled.

The following is an official statement supplied by Mr. Rhodes, attorney of tho Waihi Company.-—"A start of work after twenty weeks' idleness was made this morning by the Waihi Goldmining Company with 192 men of all ranks, including, miners, drivere, mechanics, blacksmiths, tramwaymen, labourers, battery hands, tally clerks, office force and staff. This is exceedingly satisfactory, and far better than public opinion had foreshadowed, and shows again how far from accurate was the idea of Mr. Semple and his party that the company would be powerless to recommence operations with any miners. This does no*, ineludemen at Horohora, at the electric transmission line which comprises probably 135 or more. The total force on the pay roll is therefore now 327."