WAIHI AFFAIRS

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXI, Issue 10713, 16 November 1912, Page 5

WAIHI AFFAIRS

INCIDENTS OF THE WEI'K

I, HOW THE TABLES WERE TURNED. EXODUS OF FEDERATION ISTS. (By TelesTADD —Press Ateoca&iaoD.} WAIHJ, Last Night, The complete transformation of the aspect and condition of.affairs in the community, occurring with such remarkable rapidity, is almost .the sole topic of . discussion amongst inhabitants of the town. The first indication oi' the change was tho demonstration of the workers after coming oft' 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 Ir.d been denied to them and to their wives for weeks past, had such an effect on the-Federation-ists that it was apparent the tide "was turning. Vne disuse.of the epithets "scab," | '/iworigreK'A an-tL a-, scow of- other..offensive terms so prevalent in tho town, practically dated from Saturday, and i to-day those, epithets are how an alunknown quantity. The stand taken by the workers on that :ifler»oon and evening showed' conclusively that they no longer intended to take any more insults. Retaliation sure and .swift became their watchword from that moment, and a?, a result of a resolution entered on by the whole of the workers, the sudden outbreak on Mondiy morning last occurred in Sod-don Street. "You dirty scab," from tho lips of Federation ists to one of the, workers as they were marching in a body to work was the primary cause of the me- ! lee which followed and tho utter rout of the Federationists on the following j morning (Tuesday), witnessed the oli- j max. !

"You lousy soibs." 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- Fedoration of Labour organisation in Waihi. The pent-up pjssioji occasioned by the insulting and terrorising methods of the Federa'tionists against the workers and their families over since the Waihi Company commenced operation at its Waikino battery eight weeks :igo and re-opened its mine, was let loose. Added to this was the shooting of the constable and a worker.

Th.-« fury of the etowd Knew no bounds; and those Federatiouists who ha<l been conspicuous in the ranks of the insulters were chased in all directions, and in many cises roughly handled. Fortunately for this section of tho Federatiouists. there were not many about in the streets. However, before the day was out a list of names of conspicuous nnos was prepared, and these men wore warned to leive tho town within -IS hours. During the afternoon and evening a number of these Federatiouists hurriedly took their departure. The exodus of Federatiouists and their families has since been in daily evidence. A pleading feature of the present position in Waihi is the I'ct that many women, who have been compelled to keen indoors for weeks in {,:■- der to avoid the insult,.; hurled at them fiv "scarlet runners,'' are now enabled to appear in the streets without any fear of such insults, and they are taking full -idvantage of tho freedom afforded them. The "scarlet runners" are seen in the streets ns usual, but their behaviour is good. Their oast conduct has received no retaliation whatever from the arhitrationists or their womenfolk. Ore it indignation is expressed in Waihi at the manifesto issued by the Ferleraton. and its reference to the .-.fate- of affairs in Waihi. Most of the accusations are char-

acterised as' -i string of falsehoods. and the rest as gioss exaggerations. The following notice was telegraphed bv AY. E. Pari-.v for publication in the local paper: "All YYaihi strikers, families, and foni'lo dependents desirous of leaving Wailii for the time being may procure tickets, for Auckland, Thames and intermediate stalions on implication to the stationmaster. Wailii. for.suiio. and personal luggage only." * The linVw stationmaster intimatvd this evening that he had received instruction from his Department to i«■sue tickets to applicants. A number had applied prior to the statirmmisiev receiving instructions, and it is anticipated that thev will take advantage, of the facilities afforded.

SEMPLR INTERVIEWED. NO FEARIXHLS YF.TXS. CHRTSTriirTRn-T. Last Xight. R. Somplo. the organiser of the Federation of Labour, in the course of an interview, stated that it was not the case that lie was afraid to go hack to Waihi. He wished it clearly understood that there was no fear in his veins, md though ho had been sentenced to death if lie returned to Wnihi. lie would not seek police protection. Ho stated that the most of the women had been got away from

I Waihi, and committees had been i'oi'm<:d in Auckland to look after them. He gave a denial to the reports tint when he left Waihi he sought refuge from the "black-legs" who followed him to the station. I

EVANS' BODY. TAKEN TO AUCKLAND. A POST MOUTEM HELD. (By Telegraph—.''-.pus AtaociaUon.) AUCKLAND, Last Night. A crowd assembled at the station when the body of the deceased miner Evans was brought to Auckland. Tlio body was placed on a hearse, and a erow.d of over two hundred workers followed it up the street. The proceeding* were, quiet and orderly. The body was taken to an undertaker's, where a post mortem was performed, at the request of the Federation of Labour, by two doctors. They certified tint death resulted from ji blow on the head.