AUCKLAND EMPLOYERS AND THE FEDERATION.

Press, Volume LXVIII, Issue 14305, 16 March 1912, Page 6

AUCKLAND EMPLOYERS AND THE FEDERATION.

MR WEBB IN A BELLIGERENT MOOD(rR_S3 ASSOCIATION TELEGRAM.) AUCKLAND, March 15. Mr Webb, president of xho Federation of Labour, addressing a meeting of miners at Huntly, said that the recent industrial events in Auckland meant that the employers had thrown down the gauntlet to the Federation, hoping to draw the Federation out in its present uuorganised state, but tho officials of the .federation wero not falling into this trap. They would pick tiie gauntlet up in good time, and bang Auckland's head with-it. He had got the secretaries of all the unions in Auckland not iv tho Federation together in conference, and the-result was tho unanimous decision to sink all other issues and stand by the Federation and tight the master class- He was going to Wellington, Lyttelton, and Timaru to do the same tiling. They would link up labour in tlio Dominion, and then accept the challenge given by tho employers in Auckland, and put up tho finest light in Australasia. If they were defeated, they would go out fighting. Ht. exhorted the. miners 1o stand by the Federation, as they would suffer most in the event of defeat.

The meeting passed a resolution resenting tho action of the Mayor and the Auckland City Council in refusing to meet tho Federation delegates, and expressing their preparedness to mnke common cause with the Federation.