THE LABOUR TROUBLE

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 10663, 19 June 1912, Page 5

THE LABOUR TROUBLE

.CONFERENCE AT WAIH! TERMS FOR SETTLEMENT REFUSED. LABOUR WITH ITS GLOVES OFF. "A FIGHT TO A FINISH!" (By Telegraph —Tress Association.) WAffil, Last Mglit. The conference ibotwoen delegates of tlie Gold Miners' Association' and '.the Federation, of LaJbaur was commenced here .this aiftenvoon. The former was represented by Messrs C. 'Rhodes (chairman), H. P. Barry (Wailli), W. Evens (Reeften'), D. Mc-Art-hur (Grand Jiuiiation), H. H. Adams (Auckland), JJ. Stanpfield and J. MeiC'ombie (Karangahake), -and J. Pryor (secretary.) The Federation re-IpiTtent-ativ-eis were Mcs ; sns P. 0. Webb (President), R. Semple (Organiser), >W. E. Parry (Viee-Presad-eivt), P. Eraser (Auckland General Labourers), and G. R. Crowdey (President Inangahua Miners' Union). In opening the .proceedings, the chairman .said they had met in accordance iviitfh the request of the Federation of Labour, and the Mine-ow-ners' Association' was prepared to hea'r what tha Federation had to say. In answer to ivlr Semple, .the chairman said it was the wish cf the mine owners' that the Press should be present. . Mr jSemple and li.'e colleagues took ,strong lexoepition to it-lie presence -of .reporters. TJbte tfreq-uent- misreprceein'tatktni9 cif tho Press .reports, more rpaa-tkiukrly l ait .such .meetings as the present, would lead to (further mis-(umdeo'stand-ings and create greater antagonism amongst all parties .concerned, and the public generally.

• After further dus.ous£iion, Mr Semple said that ralther than that the ooitfereinoe. should end at that stage, ibis colleagues would waive the point.

In. reply to Mr Semple, Mr Rhodes made it clear that whatever agreement bert-weem the delegates of the Federation, and the Association' lie represented be made, it would have to ■be a (binding cine,, and that at present he saw no other Way to effect this (than through the medium of the Arbitration Court. If the Federation

delegates could find "a way that would ; be equally (binding, then they would he glad to consider it.' ■Mr Semple: :"K we cannot submit'fto yoiu some proposal equally binding as the> Arbitration Court, am I to take it that you people are going to .insist ore an being endorsed 'by the Court?" • Mr Rhodes: "It has got to be that, or something equally as good. 'We .see of ho other ; way, .but it has got to be some'.solid way. I know that I .can imake it clearer."

Mr (Sample said .it..was ft very important poirit, and he would ask the delegates to explain their reasons (for deviating ifrom the "(present eyaitom, which he maintained !bad worked eo well. •

Mr Rhodes said that •Mr Semple should surely know .that there was ot&j one reason, and that was that the preeeiJt iagroeme%t did not bind anybody.. The' Federation delegates then retired. ■ ' •' '

On their return, Mr Semple said that as far as they .were ccteerned, they were not going to he parties to land Jie proceeded , to make .a veiry long explanation.

'Mr .Rhodes reiterated the .condition (that the only binding agreement as far as could be seen was tinder the Arbitration Act.

Messrs Semple a>nd Parry .said that ,the officiate of the Waihi Company had cognisance <di the formation of an lEai.giin&-d'viyers' Union, and liad had isorme 'hand in ite ,'formation. It was clearly itheir d,uty to prevent the tfor.maition' .of a- Unio'n, in ; of the exSisiiing agreement. Tliey contended ' that the local Companies 'had 'broken |tihe„ aigiieeonenit in • spidt, . and ■- wereIrespohisihle for the present trouble. iThe Union had kept their compact in «very way. 'lt wais further contended Ithat the Waihi ,OMnjia:ny had aided ;and abetted the formation of a new' •Onion. ' IMr Rhodes, replying, said the Company had neither aided nor abetted 'the iformaihian., of the .Engine-drivers' lUnlion, The .ewora evidence of Mr ißarry (saiperintenden<t of the ,Waihi Company), -and of Mr ,McArthur (Attorney for the Grand Junction Company), showed that .they had no knowledge that eves, a Union was being fformod upM the strike had been, dekc?ared,,and .further that no complaint •aSboHnt the Union being formed had been .made to tihie officials of the Company. ' ;

During the discussion, it was pointed out that representatives of the '.Federation, had declared that they 'did riot respect 'agreements, and that they could be thrown aside. Mr Hic'key'is name was (mentioned in that 'connection.

Mr Semple replied that such ideas were wot endorsed by the Federa-

Hion. Mr Hdckey had not been an official! of the .Federation for the paisit three years. His organisation could- not he held re sponsible for the ■UtteVances of individuals. Referring agaku" to the Engine-drivers' Unions, Mr Semplo said ftfhat the Umicta. was 'in a minority, and they tried to coerce a, majority. He concluded that n,s far as they were .concerned they were trot ,going to deviate one infrh, and were not going to be parties to an agreement isuch a<s that proposed hy .the otther aide. . J)n>aa4biciipation' <cif their not finding ia way of making an agreement hindling as required by his Association, 'the clrairmala <saad he would submit 'tihe following .as agreed 'to by .his As'sociatiom:— "In respect to any agreement, tlir.it it be a condition precedent to any. negotiation's for a settlement of any exiting differences .between the menubcim of the Gold-mine ■Owners Association and any of thejr employees that any orgar*isa'iiior/ of workers w:iih whom ah agreeiment is .proposed shall be the body registered under the Industrial ComoilratioiS' amd Arbitration Act."

The matter of the Ebefton dispute was discussed at some !ienigth. Mt Crawley intimated that as regards tibe agreements, they were ibound only by the respective signatures thereto, and that they would .rather take'tile risk /tna-n Ji-ave such registered under the Arbitratior.i'Aot. In £,r.!SW€ir to Mr Pryor, Mr Evans said ithat' in South Africa, Mexico, ■tli.e Uniikd States, Canada, and. at the Otiira Tunnel .(New Zealand) the ;< 'popper"- drills .were worked by ■cine man. The two-mam drill -weighed 490!bs, ,a,nd the .Waugh drill .T^lbs.'

Mjc Scrapie, alleged that the "popper" dii'iKis were not need in Austra'fta, and contended that the weight tof the drilJ had mothing to do with it. They-were concerned with the 'health -and Uvea -of the workers. Mr Webb isaid it was no use wasting '.further .time. _lt .was quite, clear/ 'that • .iflw> .mme-owners had no in'fcen.itJon of entering upon' am agreement other tliairy binding' thorn down.' as .slaves. He regretted that rJdtliinig !faad been done, and .would bid'.tliem, good-bye. Thie chairman; ,sa.id lie' wished to deny a istatemient by Mr Pasrry that '"popper" drills were mot used s'iiifglehanided in Waihi. H.e had a' stateimenit to (the. contrary. 'Mr iSemple said he had come there thinking s'oimething would be dojiie: The. gaiuntllot, however, had been, thrown down, and .though they'lliad the Pireas anid'all sections outside the 'working class, including a'©mall section' of the > latter, agaiimat them, yet jthey had isufEicient ccrifidence iri the iwlorkers of .the country and of Australia. They would make a bitter fight, and to the end, ,with 'the glomes <off. They wore not as weak' as many thought. The gloves were now off, '»M it would ibe ,a light wtth 'bare Hcnuckfes. Mir IRhwkisf "Alt right, sir; we'll 'leave-it at .that!" This tended the condolence. •■•.■;, k. .