THE FEDERATION'S POLICY.

Auckland Star, Volume XLIII, Issue 235, 1 October 1912, Page 5

THE FEDERATION'S POLICY.

MR SEMPLE INTERVIEWED. THE KAFFIR LABOURERS. (By Telegraph.—Own Correspondent.) WELLINGTON, Monday. The emergency meeting of the Federation of Labour executive to consider plans for the future conduct of the Waihi strfre ended to-day. When a representative of your paper interviewed a number of the members they were not prepared to communicate much except opinions, the actual resolutions regarding their plans being, they said, secret for the present. Asked who is conducting the fight at Waihi in the absence of Mr Parry (included among the socalled martyrs at Mt. Eden Gaol), the executive stated that Mr Fraser, of the Auckland Waterside Workers, had been deputed to proceed to Waihi to take charge of operations. What will be done by him is apparently to await developments on the employers' side. The executive affected to be quite confident fthat the attempt to start the mine on Wednesday would be almost a fiasco owing to incompetent workmen. As for the strikers, they declared that the dispute is running on a good financial basis, and that funds are plentiful, with prospects equally good, as some sections of the federation such as the shearers will be able to contribute towards the support of their idle colleagues more caEily during the summer months. THE GAOL POLICY. "The federation is determined that the men in gaol who have committed no crime have to come out at all costs," declared Mr Semple. "They could come out at once if they found sureties," suggested your representative. "Well, they won't," promptly answered the federation organiser. 'Thousands of people would have provided sureties, and we could do it out of our funds if we liked, but we are determined not to sign away our liberty at the dictation of a class-biassed magistrate. Every miner in our union, every woman and every member of the executive is prepared to follow Parry to gaol rather than sign any bond. We are going to demand the right of peaceful picketing." THE KAFFIR LABOUR ALLEGATIONS. Mr Semple declared that he was still dubious despite the denials of the employers that Kaffir or Chinese labour would be imported to run the Waihi mine. "Mr Masscy and Mr Rhodes can deny it," he said, "but I got the information from the Dunedin "Star," which is an employers' paper. It mentioned about a week ago that a move was on foot in London to introduce Coolie or Chinese labour into Waihi, and this, with the statement of Mr Rhodes that Kaffirs and Chinamen can work the machine drill, makes it appear genuine." MORE DEMONSTRATIONS. Mr Semple and Mr Armstrong, of the Ccneral Labourers' Union, leave' for Grey mouth to-morrow for the purpose of organising demonstrations in favour of the unconditional release of the 45 strikers now imprisoned- at Mt. Eden. Gnol. Other members of the federation executive will proceed to their own districts to organise similar meetings. Mr Webb, who with Mr Hickey toured Australia to raise strike funds, returns to New Zealand on Wednesday. His colleague will remain in Australia until further orders. The executive declared that the Australian response had been marvellous, and was increasing: STATEMENT BY SECRETARY OF WATERSIDE WORKERS. Mr. J. Collett, secretary of the Waterside Workers' Union, told a "Star" reporter to-day that he had had no information to the effect that the Waihi miners were recommencing work tomorrow, and characterised any statements that they were going to do as "a pack of lies." It was absurd, he remarked, to think that "21 boys could take the place m (SOO men." So far as he knew there was going to be nothing in the way of a demonstration on the part of the waterside workers.