THE WAIHI STRIKE.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LV, Issue 121, 9 October 1912, Page 5

THE WAIHI STRIKE.

ANOTHER PROTEST. By Telegraph—Press Association. Palmerston N. Tuesday. The Mamawatu flax-workers passed at a meeting of the executive Last 'evening the following resolution: '•'That the executive of this union again records a protest against the imprisonment of their fellow-workere at Waihi, and on a day to be arranged, will ask members to cease work for 24 hours, as a practical demonstration, of. sympathy with the strikers now in Mount Eden Gaol, and as a protest against the action of a biassed Government in asking them to find sureties, with the alternative of gaol, on a flimsy charge. That this executive is of opinion that it is only another attempt to kill industrial'unionism and curb industrial freedom, for which we have fought for so long.

TURNED DOWN,

Auckland, Tuesday. The night shift of the Tramwaymen's Union (resolved, by 55 votes to 2, to decline the Federation's request to cease work for 24 hours, a s a demonstration against the imprisonment of the Waihi strikers.

CASES IN COURT.

Waihi, Tuesday. At the Magistrate's Court to-dav,'be-fore Mr Fraser, S.M., Harold Gordon, charged with throwing stones at workers pleaded not guilty. Inspector Cullen gave evidence as to seeing him immediately afterwards, and said in justice to the crowd that it was the only case in which he had seen a stone thrown. In view of accisod's previous good character, the magistrate did not impose a fine, but ordered accused to find a personal surety of £SO and another of the same amount to kcop the peace for twelve months. These were forthcoming. Joseph Meagher pleaded guilty to obscene language, and wa<s fined £5 and ordered to find sureties as in the first case. The hearing of a number of charges of following up and using insulting language is not finished. .

ACTION BY HUNTLY MIXERS.

Auckland, Tuesday. The Huntly miners resolved to take a day off on Thursday to join the demonstration' against the imprisonment of the Waihi strikers. The directors of the Taupiri Coal Company will meet this afternoon to consider the position. There is a strong feeling that various unions are antagonistic to the movement, and it is very doubtful if the demonstration will be a success in any great measure.

WORKERS IN THE MINE. AGGRESSIVE WOMANKIND. Waihi, Tuesday. It is officially stated that since yesterday thirty fresh men have started work, twelve of whom are practical miners. The actual workers, exclusive of officials, clerks, shift bosses, -etc., at the mine, number about 80. This morning the usual assemblage of non-workers and women began to gather early, in ordeT to be in time to see the workers going to the mine and pay the customary attention. A crowd gathered on the pavements in the vicinity of the mine entrance and the company's tramline, where the brake with workers passes over the. main road. Although there were large crowds there was less demonstration than yesterday, and it was in comparison good-humored. After the vehicles had passed and the police had taken their departure the remnant of the gathering indulged in Maori war cries and oth?r kinds of exhilarating pastimes. A great number of women 'assembled in the vicinity of the police station lust evening, and serenaded the man Meagher, whs was arrested yesterday for using obscene language.

The residence, of a minor who started work yesterday is located in the southeast of the town. A large crowd of women assembled there and awaited the arrival of the worker. When he came along they set-to and gave a series of screeches. The din for a few minutes beggars description. More police were sent for, but when they arrived the worker was safely housed and aM was quiet. A large number of strikers met the express last evening in anticipation of the arrival of Putan. the imprisoned Waihi man who found sureties. He was met without much demonstration but the remarks of some women were of a bitter character and evidences of displeasure at. ln> appearance. The strikers did not appear to take any interest in him.

THE KNOCK-OFF WORK SUGGESTION

ONLY A JOKE. Wellington, Last Night. '•We regard the proposal to knock off work for twenty-four hours, as a protest against the imprisonment of the Waihi miners, as nothing more nor less than a joke." said «. member of the Wellington "Trades and Labor Council to-day to a Times representative. He also stated that the Council had not yet considered the. advisability or otherwise of taking part in the demonstration, nor was it likely to do so. The Council, however, sympathised with the imprisoned men, and bad unanimously passed a resolution protesting against their imprisonment, and a deputation was appointed to wait on the Prime Minister to demand their immediate release. From another source the reporter learned that it was very probable that at the next meeting of the Council a. motion to rescind the resolution would be proposed.