THE WAIHI STRIKE.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LV, Issue 163, 27 November 1912, Page 5

THE WAIHI STRIKE.

CASES BEFORE THE COURT

By Telegraph—Press Association,

Waihi, Tuesday. In tlie Magistrate's Court this morning, before Mr. Burgess, S.M., a number of charges of assault ami threatening behaviour were dealt with. The cases were the sequel to the disturbances on Saturday night and the following Monday and Tuesday. Mr. Cotter, K.C., appeared for the Arbitration workers, and Mr. J. Lundon for the Federationists, and Mr. Mays, acting for the Crown Prosecutor, appeared for the poliee. Henry Gray and Henry Bostoek were charged with assaulting Kennedy, act-ing-president of the Miners' Union. Mr. Mays said that the point of the alleged assault was typical of the other cases. He briefly recounted the incidents leading to the alleged assault. The police were being vilified a good deal. Whenever the poliee saw an assault they at once interfered, but on Monday morning, when a disturbance arose, it was impossible for the poliee to follow all the scattering individuals, who ran in | different directions. They particularly wished so refute the diabolical statements I made by the Federationists as to the ' condition of things in Waihi. The affair had been magnified into a riot, whereas it was nothing more than a series of small fights. The fighters were dispersed, and there was a good deal of chasing and hunting about. The evidence would show how far the Federationists had brought the trouble on themselves. He would call Mr. Kennedy, and though he was Ids own witness, and had been saying a .good deal about what had happened, witness would have ample opportunity to state his views. He would be made to refute the wild statements be had been making outside that the police did not afford him protection. Mr. Kennedy was then called to give evidence. He said that on the morning of the shooting he took refuge in Thompson's house. Two constables on each side and two behind him escorted him to the railway station. He was assaulted from behind by a heavy blow and on the back with lists, but was unable to identify his assailant. When be got to the poliee station the police made a passageway for him. That was the only assault made on him. Cross-examined by Mr. Cotter, Kennedy said that none of his fellowunionists would return to work, with mem hers of the Engine-drivers' Union. He was not aware that the unionists bad offered violence to the enginedrivers. ( THE FEDERATION ALLEGATIONS. Waihi, Last Night. Many facts were adduced, disposing of allegations distributed by the Federationists, and quite the most important was an admission by Mr. Kennedy, act-ing-president of the Miners' Union, to the effect that he was not in a position to produce any evidence justifying a public enquiry or a Royal commission, despite the statement made, by him to the Federation's official organ." The evidence indicated that he was not prepared to make any„direct charge against either the police or the Arbitrationists.

KENNEDY'S ATTITUDI. Kennedy, continuing, said that he had not power to instruct the men to cease following and • annoying. He believed that the conduct of his fellow unionists was objectionable to the persons followed. As far as he saw, only reasonable tactics were used to prevent the men going to work. He understood that the Arbitrationists were absolutely prevented from going to work in the ordinary way owing to the conduct of the Federationists. He had heard the terms "scab" and ''traitor to your class," but had not. heard such terms as "rotten scabs,' '•filthy scabs." "cancerous s&abs," "rotten dirty scabs," "crawling scabs," "scoundrels," "bastards." etc. He did not know that as a result of the

OBJECTIONABLE CONDUCT OF THE FEDERATIONISTS hi two houses of the workers policemen were stationed all night. He did not know that ft constable had to he stationed in Gray's house for live days, nor at the homes of other workers. He would swear he was not present at Gray's house when there were 400 people

YELLING LIKE LUNATICS. He liad heard of egg-throwing and other objectionable practices by the Federationists. He believed that eggs were thrown by the people on his side. He had come to the conclusion that such conduct was wrong. lie once thought that he would sooner die than seek police protection. That was when the Federationists were the bosses. He did not care what anyone said to him, so long as violence was not offered. He would mind if a person in the street called out, "You married a prostitute," but there was a civil remedy in such cases. He knew MACWILLIAMS. THE BAILIFF of the Court. The latter made a complaint to the Union in regard to being annoyed. Mac Williams, as bailiff of the Court, had nothing to do with the Arbitrationists and Federationists. It was the latter section who made the disturbances at Mac Williams. The Federationists went to the house of Mac Williams to insult and annoy the inhabitants therein, because Mr. and Mrs. MacWilliams sympathised with the Arbitrationists. Mac Williams was ill at the time. He understood that Mrs. Mac Williams came out of her house and "booed" some Federationists. and the latter retaliated. He considered it was a trivial matter. He did not consider that a man's life was a trivial matter. The committee had got complaints from the doctor and Mrs. Mac Williams, and the matter was placed in the hands of one of their members to investigate, but he himself did not take any steps, as he bad more important business on hand at the moment. A man's health being jeopardised and a. man's bouse being pelted with rotten eggs may not be a trivial matter. Other matters he had to attend to were of more importance than to take steps to prevent these irregularities. He could not say that a notice had been served on tradesmen not to serve certain people with goods. He made certain statements in Wellington which were published in the Maoriland Worker. These statements were, in his opinion, true. In regard to his allegation that a number of the men employed in the mine., outside a few union men, J were "TOUGHS" AND "HOOLIGANS" | from' the cities, he said he had come to this conclusion because of their subsequent behaviour. He would swear that men were smuggled into Waihi with the police and the companies' connivance. In regard to his statement that the events of Saturday, Monday and Tues- ! day last wore undoubtedly 1 SYSTEMATICALLY PLANNED BY THE GOVERNMENT and carried into effect by the police, he said that he had every reason to believe that these statements were, correct. He did not see ilie alleged assault on Conrick, but he had been informed by Conrick himself. In regard to his allegations that,the police used riding whips and struck unionists down, he saw these acts himself. He charged the police with instigating and carrying out assaults on "i - ,".i,.- ' ■• ;t,' -.,'4i,41»;

innocent Federationists, lie had a strong feeling against the police ever since the police came to Waihi and prevented the Federationists having all their own way with the Arbitvationigtß. The meaning of

THE,TERM "THUG," according to witness, was identical with that of "scab." Ii connection with the alleged &•• sault by Commissioner Cullen on Noakes, witness said that he had repeated it because Noakes told him. He admitted that Commissioner Cullen had denied the allegation in the presence of Noakes. He believed that murder had been done by the. "thugs" and police. Frederick Evans had been killed by a policeman's baton. By the evidence that came out it wat clear that Evans had been struck with the baton, and the evidence had also shown that Evans had fired a revolver at the constable before the latter, struck him. He would still call it murder. In regard to other statements that men were driven to the bush,-

WOMEN OUTRAGED and children violently treated, he said that he did not know of a single instance of a woman being outraged nor of children being hurt. The violence used was that of bad words. There was not a single case of outrage or attempted outrage on women. In regard to violence to children, he knew a case where the children of one Titos-. Keen were

FLOGGED ON THE LEGS, black and blue. This statement was made in a letter to the editor of the Maoriland Worker. He had not made any investigation into this allegation. Tlui lawless law prevailed before the recent trouble. In his opinion, "thuggery," or in other words "scabbery," had for the time being triumphed, backed by Government corruption. Whatever was done by the Government to prevent the Union from getting what they, in their opinion, were entitled to, constituted Government corruption. In regard to his allegation of

POLICE CRIMINALITY he said that they looked on while assaults were being'committed. He admitted that summonses nad since been issued against these men, but still he believed that the, police were criminals. After hearing further evidence the case was adjourned till to-morrow.