THE WAIHI MINES

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 10712, 3 October 1912, Page 5

THE WAIHI MINES

NEARLY TWO HUNDRED MEN RESUME WORK. DEMONSTRATIONS NOT SERIOUS. (By Telegraph — Press Association.) WAIHI, Last Night. The re-openiug of the Waiiii mine this morning was, contrary to expectation, practically without incident. Crowds of men and women lined the mine entrances, but beyond hooting the men who went back tr: work and calling them "scabs," their behaviour called'for no comment. The following is an official statement supplied by tho attorney of the Waihi Company (Mr C. R. Rhodes) :—-

"A start at work after twenty weeks of idleness was made this morning by the Waihi Gold Mining Company with 192 men of al] ranks, including miners, drivers, mechanics, blacksmiths, tramway men, labourers, battery hands, tally clerks, office force, and staff. This is exceedingly satisfactory, and is far better than public opinion had foreshadowed, and shows again how far from accurate was the idea of Mr Scrapie and party that the company would bo powerless to recommence operations with any miners. This does not include any men at Hor.ihora at the electric power station or on the electric transmission' line, which comprises probably 135 more. The total force on pay is therefore now 32"." CANCELLATION OF CONTRACTS, j WAIHr, Last Night. | An official announcement was niado'i 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 h#ve been cuicelled. WELL PLEASED WITH THE RESPONSE.

COM IMNY-fl iTTORXKY HOPP% POL. ■ . WAIHI. Last Kijrlit. Mr Charles Rhodes, attorney for the Waihi Company, interviewed said: "1 am well pleased with tlie' response made to-day. [' believe it is a., good augury for the future successful working of the mine, « The loss has been considerable, but there was an important principlo: the right of men to think and act for themselves so long as what they did was constitutional an* in full accord with the law. lam hopeful that other men, after a cairn 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 portion of contracts formerly existing he said:—' "The contracts of all those who today did not respond to the company's offer to them to resume work will be cancelled. The company cannot go back; it must now go on. We endeavoured to make as fair « proposal as we could to the men. When we offered to them a resumption of their contracts without any nc-iia.lishig we thought that we had dealt v : .th ihoir in a. liberal .spirit;. Tam sorry tha'! the contractors did not >'o<nme tr-d:.y. but am honeful that, with further mature consideration and the assurance iha.t ample protpctirn will be jivr.ihib'e t» enablo them t-» nr-ry out tho'work, further additions- will he, made to our working staff. Today thero are men working in tho various departments..and we are confident that tho number will be gradually added to. We do not seek to penalise the men in any way: our action throughout the whole dispute has proved that; but liberty of thought and notion cn.n> surely be claimed by any man, and backed up by the forces of law and order, it is to he hoped that this unfortunate dispute will soon, be ended and work resumed as heretofore."

DEMONSTRATION BY STRIKERS. WOMEN STRONGLY IN- EVIDENCE. "SCAUS" AND "TRAITORS." WAIHI, Lust Night. Tile "following" tactics of the strikers and worn on when tho men wont to work tin's morning wore very persistent. A batch of workers .numbering about fourteen, started off under police escort from the Central Hotel. Meanwhile an immense number of men and women bad congregated ivr. the vicinity of the hotel, nnd as the workers stepped on to the pavement they were assailed with volleys of epithets such as "Scabs!" "Traitors!" etc, from women as well a-• from men, the women adopting a much more aggressive attitude than their male associates. The police, under Sergeant Miller, who formed an escort, also came in for a good dol of abuse. Expressions such as "You blue-coated scabs" were burled at them by both men and ■women. Tho latter closed in on the police and workers in such a way as to cause the police some littln bother in get-

ting along. One of them, bolder than the rest, made a mild attack on S.*rReant Miller, who turned instantly , a.:d demanded the name of tho woman. She immediately denied having committed an assault, and a chorus of voices took up the cry that, there was no assault. Tlw crowd was headed by „- omea bearing a banner. Hundreds of non-workers had tickets attached to their hats, with the inscription "Remember Waihi and the jailed strikers," while a number oi women, bore placards inscribed: "Don't be traitors to your class." Two women stood hi the foof pn.ffr opposite No. 5 shaft with a barr-er on which was printed, "workers of the world unite." After a while they proceeded along singing, and occupied a rise on the road which passes tho Grand Junction mine. They were followed by about fifty of the women folk, who, after ascending the rise, *mm£ with much vigour, "The R«d Flag." ;•.....

The banner was then transferred to the mounted . pickets, who cantered through the to,wn two. abreast with the emblem r.piifted.

Scarcely had the .sound of the mine* whistle died away when a shout -woa!?,-■' up from a group of non-workers that; "The masters are calling .us to work,, but we're not going." not likely to this side of Christmas," added sor.eof those standing round. Throughout tha day' knots.of boihsexes gathered in the streets, and cheering and.bcohooing took place at; short intervals as something turned ' up which pleased or annoyed the gatherings. The demonstrations on the men doling off shift this afternoon were of a much more pronounced character than in the morning, and but for tho adequate protection of the police, it would. have been difficult to predict, what, might have happened. Men, women and children hoofed and screeched till they wore hoarse. Tho noise at times was almost deafening. A youth throw a stone, amongst the workers who ;vere being escorted to their homes. Police Commissioner Cullcn happened to witness the action, and in a moment h 0 seized the culprit and handed him over to the custody of twoconstables. A number of school cadets took up . a stand where ihe workers passed down the track of the Company's property, and on the appearance of the latter they gave them three hearty cheers. In two or three instances tie 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 twenty-five men, eighteen of whom are experienced miners, have been, sent from Auckland 'by the Waihi Company, is, not credited by thestrikers. The feeling against the Company ( and those who resumed work to-day is intense, and the "following up :r tactics of to-day are to bo continued. The Striko Committee contend that only four members of their Union, hare resumed work.

OPPOSIN3 VIEWS. I WELLINGTON, Last Night. Tin's mc.rning the following telegram was received by Mi' Pryor, secretary of the N.Z. Employers' Association:— "Over 200 men stn-tod this morning, including miners, drivers, mechanics,, and blacksmiths, etc. The Federa--tion of Labour demonstration fell very flat. Women wore prominent in the demonstration." The Federation of Labour received tho. following telegram from Mr P.. Fraser, member of the Executive now at Waibi: —"Great success here Only four miners by occupation, throe r-f them employed' on the surface returned. Twenty fit hers were drafted from Wiikino, and are mostly Maori boys and derelicts. There is great; enthusiasm among the crowds of workers and their wives everywhere."