CLEANSING WAIHI

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LV, Issue 154, 16 November 1912, Page 5

CLEANSING WAIHI

QUIETNESS AT LAST. THE ARBITUATIONISTS ORDERLY. By Telegraph—Press Association. Waihi, Friday. The town was quiet and orderly last night. The sixty men released from gaol are unlikely to receive a cordial welcome in Waihi at the hands of the Arbitrationists, and it is improbable that any of them will find employment at the local mines. Two supposed Federationist pickets arrived by last night's train and were promptly chased out of the town by Arbitrationists. Patrols visited several Federationists' houses and assured the occupants that their lives and property were safe. They .said that those causing the Federationists annoyance were acting on their own responsibility, and the committee had instructed all to keep order, and to refrain from violence and assist the police in every way. This action had a greatlv assuring effect on a large number of Federationists, principally women. The grocery store conducted by the Federation Union was taken charge of } this morning by the new union and the police. This action was considered necessary in consequence of the closing of the store and for the preservation of perishable goods. FEDERATION ASSISTANCE. Waihi, Last Night. The following advertisement appears in to-night's Daily Telegraph: members of the Waihi Workers' Union requiring assistance communicate immediately with the Strike Committee at the Socialist Rooms, Auckland." The intimation is signed by Messrs. Parry and Mc- | Lennon, president and vice-president of the Waihi Federation Union, who have just been released from gaol. THE AFTERMATH. Waihi, Last Night. The complete transformation of the aspsct and condition of affairs in the community occurring with such remarkable rapidity is almost the sole topic of

discussion amongst the inhabitants of the town. The first indication of the change was the demonstration of workers after coming off work early on Saturday last. The presence of a large body of workers in Seddon street during Saturday afternoon asserting their rights to the free use of the streets without molestation, which had been denied to them, and to their wives for weeks past, had such an effect on the Federationists that it was apparent that the tide was turning. The disuse of the epithets "Scab," "Mongrel," and a score of other offensive terms so prevalent in the town practically ceased from Saturday, artel to-day these epithets are now an almost unknown quantity. The stand taken by the workers that afternoon and evening showed conclusively that they no longer intended to ta.ke any more insults. Retaliation sure and swift became their watchword from that moment, and as a result of the resolution entered on by the whole of the workers the sudden outbreak of Monday morning last occurred in Seddon street. "You Dirty Scab," from the lips of the Federationists to one of the workers ae they were marching in a body to work was the primary cause of the melee which followed, and'the utter rout of the Federationists on the following morning (Tuesday) witnessed the climax. "You Lousy Scabs," hurled at the workers as they passed the Union doors en route to work, brought about the disastrous events of that" day, and the complete downfall of the Federation of Labor organisation in Waihi. The pent up passion occasioned bv the insulting and terrorising methods of the ■ Federationists against the workers and their families ever since the Waihi Company commeiced operations at its Waiki'no battery eight weeks ago and reopened its mine was let loose! Added to this was the shooting of a constable and a worker. The fury of the crowd knew no bounds, and those Federationists who had been conspicuous in the ranks of insurers were chased in all directions, and in many cases roughly handled. Fortunately for this sec':ion of the Federationists there were not many about in the streets. However, before the day was out a list of names of conspicuous ones was prepared .and these men were warned to leave the town within 48 hours. During the afternoon and evening a number of these Federationists hurriedly took their departure. The exodus of Federationists and their families has since been in daily evidence. A pleasing feature of the present position in Waihi is the fact that many women who have been compelled to keep indoors for weeks ! in order to avoid the insults hurled at : them by the "Scarlet Thinners" are now enabled to appear in the streets without any fear of such insults, and they are : taking full advantage of the freedom af- • forded them. The "Scarlet Runners" are : seen in the streets as usual, but their : behaviour is good. Their past conduct '. tias received no retaliation whatever' i from the Arbitrationists or their women folk. Great indignation is expressed in Waihi at the manifesto issued by the . Federation with' reference to the state \ of affairs at Waihi. Most of the arcusa- , tions are characterised as falsehoods, and the rest as gross exaggerations. The following notice was telegraphed by Mr. W. E. Parry for publication in the local ' papers:—"All Waihi strikers, familiis : and female dependents desirous of leav- 1 ing Waihi for the time being may procure tickets for Auckland, Thames and intermediate stations on application to ' the stationmastcr at Waihi for the same ' and personal luggage onlv." The local < stationmastcr intimated this evening that '. he had received instructions from his i department to issue tickets to applicants. ! A number had -applied prior to the sta- j tionmastcr receiving instructions. It is < anticipated that many will lake advan- i tage of the facilities a Horded . , ] CONSTABLE WADE'S CONDITION. '■ Waihi. Last Night. ' Constable Wade, the victim of last ' Tuesday's shooting, had a good night. f and to-day showed signs of improvement, though the doctor states that lie is not out of danger. "SENTENCED TO DEATH." SEMPLE'S. STATEMENT . Chrisfehuivh. Last Night. Mr. Seniple, organiser of the Federation of Labor, in the course of an interview, stated that he would not be afraid . to go back to Waihi. He wishes it to be , clearly understood that there was no i fear in his veins, and though he bad been sentenced to death, if he returned to Waihi he would not seek police profee- , tion. TTe stated that most of the women had been got away. Committees in Auckland had been formed to look a ft cithern. TTe cave a denial to the reports that when.be left Waihi he sought refuge from the blackleg who followed him to the station. THE DEATH OF EVANS. .Auckland. Last Night. A crowd nss"inlile,-| at Hie station tonight: when the bodv of the deceased miner Evans was hi'oue.'it to An -eland. The body was placed on a hearse mid a crowd of over two hundred workers followed it up the street. The proceedings were quiet and orderly. The bodv was then taken to the undertakers. where a post mortem was performed at the request of the Federation by two

(doctors. They certified that death reJ suited from a blow on the head.

OUTSIDE THE GAOL . A DEJECTED BAND. HOW THEY RECEIVED THE NEWS FROM WAIHI. , Auckland, Last Night. 1 , It was just at nightfall that the prison door swung open and sixty-three self--2 made "martyrs" marched out of the gaol i' two deep and stood against the wall un- ■ til the final word for their freedom was given, by the chief gaoler. I Outside there were a dozen women. < forty or fifty children, and some sixty I Federationists. Some of the women t were from Waihi, eager to tell their husbands, brothers, and lovers of the great change in the strike town. Some ■ of the men, too, were fugitives, and they talked bitterly of their forced flight from the place which had been their home. Then came greetings. When the welcomes were over the question arose, "Where are n-e going? What are we going to do?" -Sixty"- three men needed board and lodging. ' They came out from prison, but thev Iml h»en fed well and sheltered. ThiVsaid them- . selves, without exception, that thev had been well treated. The warders' were good fellows. The gaol fare had been what gaol fare should be, but what were they going to do? In a ragged procession the released men walked from gaol with their frieivV Tt was then they learned the detail- ■<•' what had happened in Waihi. The n cursed as the women told their tn 1 <■• and swore vengeance on everybody; bni after a time they became quite dejected, and many were obviously depressed. "We'll wait to hear what' Parry gays,"' they murmured . The procession made its way to the Theosophical Society's rooms, 'but only the released men were allowed to enter the hall. They went in. some cheerfully, to hear "what Parry had to say." W.hat he did say did not impress them that the strike had succeed-' ed; it merely stirred them to bitter feelings against the workers whom they had persecuted too much. They were as far off as ever from the solution of their difficulty—"What are we eoin« to do?" b ° ) ======