THE WAIHI STRIKE.

Auckland Star, Volume XLIII, Issue 213, 5 September 1912, Page 5

THE WAIHI STRIKE.

OBJECTIONABLE TACTICS. BUT HO VIOLENCE. (By Telegraph.Own Correspondent.) WATTTT, Wednesday.. "It has always been dinned into us bat we must not break the law, that re must do nothing to which exception an be taken by the authorities. Our ffieers hare been strong en this point, nt at the same time if the union said I hat we were to adopt other measures -c -would follow instructions ■without esitation." This was the statement aade to Inspector Wright by an active aember of the Tank and file Of the liners' Union the other day. The aspector came to Wa-Hu to-night on one f his periodical visits. He told your eporter quite frankly that he thought he strikers as a whole had behaved hemselves -wonderfully "well during the rouble. There -was no authentic case •f assault or violence. "Hie men knew ■prfectly well what would happen if anyhinfr of the sort were attempted. At lie same time, the inspector remarked bat rpepnt. tnotifs adopted In , a section I the strikers* were most objectionable nd vasty, following enginedrivers and thers about, and so on, and they had ieen warned that this would have to tap. Police provision was adequate to ope with iinv trouble that was likely o occur, further detachments being at all at very short notice. He and other roljce officers -were all unmistskedly ein■hatic that there had been no suggesion of any of the miners being armed rit-h either revolvers or batons, much ess that they bad been ■using or hid hreatened to use them. Such ' recent iisturbanees as had occurred had been he work" of ? comparatively few hoodiims and larrikins. There was, nevertheess. the readiness on the part of the ank and flip to obex such instructions c might be officially issued by the mion. CHANGE OF TACTICS. It became quite apparent early this ftemoon tbit ? change in taetirs was bout to take place, for, instead of a trong detachment of strikers proceed-, n<; as usual to Waildno. separate francs >f men took up positions at various •oints in the town, and subsequent haplenines. proved that an organised move tad h«*>n decided on. At 3 o'clock Messrs. Parry (president) .nd McLennin (vice-president 1. acccrnianied by several strikers, proceeded by rain tr> n'nikino, -where, in conjunction vith the men already billeted at that ownship. i conference ■was held. At 4.30 p.m.. when the men employed mocked off work, there were no strikers o mert. them on the road, and tbev vere conducted home by a very small quad of police. Mr. Parry and party ■eturneci to Waihi by the 5 p.m. train, 'n the fa-re of ■"■h.s.t transpired, it is certainly obvious that Waikino was left ■eligiously alone at least for to-day. ESCORTED BY STRIKERS. Meantime in Waihi the event* previously indicated camp to a head. One of the enffinedrivers bad occasion about 4 oVloek to pay a visit to" his "doctor. It was perfectly obvious that lie bad been marked oat by the pickets, who, according to the almost invariable practice, shadow each member of the re-cently-formed Drivers* and Firemen's Union. In a surprisingly short time men poured out of the Miners' Union Hall, and a. body of strikers to the number of over 200 fell in behind the engine* river and kept closely at his heels. As he made his way to the doctor's gate there was nothing said, but they followed very much as a flock of" fowls Follows the person who carries the food into the yard. A favourite means of indicating their opinion of the object of their displeasure was the frequent boldjig of noses, as if to suggest that the presence of an enginedriver was unpleasant. When tie man -who was being followed reached the doctor's residence ie took the opportunity to telephone to several fellow -members of the Engineinkers' Union, -who arrived in due course to toe number of about- half a dozen. Leaving the doctor's residence in a party t.hey were escorted, a* before, by the waiting strikers. By this time MountedOonstaWe Skinner (who was in charge in Wadhi during the absence of Serg-eaut Wohltmura at Waikino) and Mounted[lkmstafole Blake.ley, with other constables, about eight in all, had assembled Hid they warned the offenders to cease their objectionable behaviour. Many of them went away unmediatelj". the others fell bank, and the diminished procession B-radually melted away. It seems probable that the strikers in Waihi were surprised at. the number of police still available, notwithstanding the strong] detachment posted at Waikiao. It is estimated that to-night there are not ' more thnn thirty members of the Miners' Union at Waiteino, others having returned to Waihi. APPEAL TO THE PREMIER. This afternoon a meeting of the Enginedrivers' Union was held, when it was derided to approach tfcfi Prime Minister. %nd ask for increased protection. This, of course, comes within tie immediate jurisdiction of Inspector Wright, who will no dooibt take what steps lie deems advisaHe. It is understood that a petition has been forwarded from citizens of Waihi to the Prime Minister, urjying , that immediate legislation be introduced with a view to pro : vide some means to bring the strike, now in its seventeenth ■week, to a definite conclusion. I