WAIHI STILL QUIET.

Auckland Star, Volume XLIII, Issue 215, 7 September 1912, Page 5

WAIHI STILL QUIET.

WAIKINO STAFF INCREASES. ABOUT FORTY MEN ENGAGED. ANOTHER MASS MEETING. (By Telegrajto.Own CorreependentO- __ WAIHI, Friday. Although not th» same degree of activity so far as numerical strength was concerned was shown, the tailin»-u/p tactics of tbe Waihi strikers were in full operation this afternoon, notwithstanding tbe heavy rain. A prominent member of the Drivers' Union appeared with some friends in the main street, and immediately a large crowd commenced to follow the party. Mounted police and constables on foot, joined in, and the procession, marching about vhree deep, assumed a silent and funereal aspect as it proceeded down the main street and •crossed over to Moresby Avenue. This sort of thing took place at frequent intervals throughout tfhe day. Statements made at the mass meeting held this morning disclosed no indication as to the future plans of the strike leaders, and the present policy seems to consist £&lejy in following the tactics as described above. Whether these will be developed further when fine weat&er sets in remains to be seen.

It Is Aintiripsted that there will be about forty arbipra-tiionicta in all ecgagsd at Waikino early nest *veek. Last w/eek the Waiha Company made ample provision for the aecoamioda-tion of their employes at Waikino.

It is reported that a stone wi* hurled through a window of the boaxding'houfce in which Mr. W. McLennan (ricepresident cf the Wadhi Miners' Union) resides at, Waihi. This looks like retaliation for the breaking of an engine i driver's windows last week.

This afternoon a member M the Drivers' Union was proceeding home after visiting a friend in the East End, when two strikers parsed, one of whom used offensive -language to the driver: This -was in t>!ie outskirts of the town, and is an instance of what is said t& take place when no police are in the vicinity. AT 'AVAIKTXO END. This -afternoon there -was no demonstration at all. When the workers were a.?."2inble<J at the bittery at, knockiug-ofi time, and ware escorted to their homes by a poi£3 of police, ■several ttrikers wars in tie '.citmty, and faiall groups of them idly watolied t"J.o procession, but. there was no incident to call for even parsing notice. .Mr. Parry's attitud-e, a.nd that of several unionists who have been con suited, leads one to suppose that general feeling of th* union is distinctly againiu any <i'i-p!a.y of violence. There is no resson ■whitevtc to doubt, that thje is the attitude at present being taken up by the majority -of tha unionists at pretant in Waiiij. Many of them seem to he sincere in the : r expressions of disbelief that lad linguae? is being used, and ethers admit t4tat if light-headed a.nd misguided members of the union so tar forget 'tbemsedre* as to carry the joke of following about too far their conduct : ■> *trcngly to be deprecated. They urge, 'however, t'jat th? whole union should not be rashly misjudged on the reprehensible conduct of an irresponsible few. This muob has to be said in common i'a.im««6 to a considerable section who pride themselves on the propriety with which tie strike 'ha* been conducted ove.r. practically the whohe period of its duraUran. AN OMINOUS CALM AM) A XEBVOUS CROWD. (Sy TelejTapli.— Correspondent.) WAIHI, this day. Although Waihi was quiet last night and wears a peaceful look this morning, the position is peculiar, in that there are at present all the ■ possibilities of disorder. The circumstances are so extraordinary that it. would not be surprising if there was at any moment an outbreak, -which would probably be unpremeditated, but which would act as a spark to set everything ablaze. Everybody is nervy, and, though the presence of the police has had a reassuring effect in one direction, the nerve-strain has now taken » form of tense expectancy as to when the crisis will develop. It was thought at one stage that there would be trouble last night. Bet-ween 20 and 30 engine-drivers attended a picture entertainment, arid knowledge was quickly disseminated by strike pickets,. The president of the union and three or four companions walked towards the picture theatre a.bout eight o'clock, but., after conversation with fellow-unionists in front of the door, returned to the Miners' Union rooms. There were several police about the theatre, and it looked as if something was in the wind. The keen interest that is taken in such apparently ordinary events shows the abnormal state of' mind in Waihi. After the picture entertainment was over the engine-drivers were escorted to their several homes by mounted and foot constables, and. although some strikers followed, there was no demonstration. Many unionists spent the evening at a j dance in the Miners' Union Hall. i BATCH OF SUMMONSES.

That definite action by the police is now being taken t» "bring offenders to book in connection ■with recent demonstrations against the engine-drivers and airbitrationiste is very apparent, as already a. large batch of summonses ha-s been issued. It is understood some SO informations in all have been laid, inI eluding charges of threatening behaviouv, I assault, obscene language and offensive . conduct in the matter of following up members of the Engine-drivers' Union, causing, in some instances, breaches of ' the peace, In such casas the police are] asking thnt the offenders bp boimd over: to keep- the peace in approved sureties.' I The circumstances in one of tlirs; l ci=»v show tha.t a driver who is a cripple be- \ came so exasperated at the presence and ! assiduous attention of a large crowd walking with him, that he suddenly seized hold of two of his escorts. Xo developments occurred, but the driver will a.leo be charged -with having committed a breach of the peace. A large I number of his escort wiU, however, be j recipients of blue documents requiring . their attendances in ' the magistrate's court next Wednesday. Some fifty men ar implicated in connection with the information* now being laid. Senior Sergeant MacKinnon will appear for .the polio*.. . ••■ ••.' ■■ ' ■ -

METHODS OF THE BOYCOTT.

MOKE POLICE ARRIVE. _—— COMMESSIO>-ER CULLEX AT WAIHI. (■By Telegraph.—Own Correspondent.) WAIHI. this day. A party oi ten policemen, from Christchurch, with Sergeant Millar in charge, arrived at midday, having come straight through from Wellington to Waihi. Commissioner Cullen also arrived by the same train, and Inspector Wright, who has charge of this polk* district, is also in Waihi to-day.

A mass meeting of titt union, summoned this morning, wia attended by 200, and proved to be of very short duration. Vice-president McLennan presided, and the only business concerned th-e visit to a, picture show of a party of enginedrivers (the incident referred to in an earlier message). Mr McLennan explained that Mr Parry had received a letter from a friend, intimating that the drivers intended going in a party, but as do night was mentioned, advice could not be sent out. He advised the men to go to the pictures to-night, and if any drivers were there, to all go out of the hall. Presumably the miners want a chance to walk out of an entertainment

patronised by drivers. Xo mention was made at the meeting of the summonses, the issue of which is still continuing and has somewhat staggered many strikers.