WAIHI AFTERMATH.

Press, Volume XLVIII, Issue 14523, 27 November 1912, Page 10

WAIHI AFTERMATH.

; FEDERATIONISTS AND WORKERS PROSECUTED. IMPORTANT ADMISSIONS BY A LABOUR LEADER. NO EVIDENCE TO JUSTIFY A PUBLIC ENQUIRY. (press association- TE-ECRAM.) WAIHI, November 26. At tho Magistrate's Court this morning, before Mr Burgess, S.M., a number of charges of assault and threatening behaviour were dealt with, the cases being the sequel to the disturbances on Saturday, November 16th, and the following Monday and Tuesday. Mr Cotter. K.C., appeared for tho Arbitration workers, Mr J. Lundon for the Federationists, and Mr Mays, acting for the Crown Prosecutor, appeared for the police. Henry Gray and Henry Bostock wero charged with assaulting Kennedy, act-ing-president of tho -liners' Union. Mr Mays said that the poTnt of tho alleged assault was typical of the other cases. He briefly recounted tho incidents leading to tho alleged assault. The police, he said, had been vilified a good deal. Whenever they saw an assault thoy at once interfered, but on tho Monday morning when tho disturbance arose, it was impossible for the police to follow all the scattering individuals who ran in different directions.

They particularly wished to refute the diabolical statements made by Federationists as to the condition of things in Waihi. The affair had been magnified to a riot, whereas it was nothin"; more than a series of small - fights, and the fighters were dispersed., there was a good deal of chasing and hunting about. The evidence would shew how

far the Federationists had brought the trouble on themselves. He would call Kennedy, and though he was his own witness, and had been saying a good deal about what had happened, and as a witness would have ample opportunity to state his views, he would be mado to refute tho wild -statements ho had

been making outside, that the police did_not afford him x>rotection. Kennedy was then called to give evidence, and swore that on the morning of the shooting he took refugo in Thompson's house. Two constables on each side and two behind'him escorted liini to the railway station. He was assaulted from behind by a heavy blow on tho back with a fist, but was unable to identify his assailant. When he got to the station tho police mado a passageway for him. That was tho only assault mado on him.

Cross-examined by Mr Cotter, Kennedy said that none of his fellow-union-ists would return to work with tho members of the Engine-drivers' Union. He was not aware that unionists had offered violence to engine-drivers, and he did not know that workers wero threatened with violence to prevent them going to work. He had followed tho workers to try to convert them. As far as ho saw, only reasonable tactics were used to prevent men going to work. Ho understood that tho Arbitrationists were absolutely prevented from going to work in the ordinaryway owing to tho conduct of tho Federationists. He believed that some of tho men could not go to work •v the ordinary way without interference from Federationists. Ho had heard Federationists call out "scab." Gray and Currie, prior to resuming work, complained to witness about tho term "scab" being used to them. That , night witness asked members of the Union to stop using tho term. He did not know that, as tho result of the objectionable conduct of tho Federationists, in the homes of two workers, policemen were stationed all night. He would swear that ho was not present at Grey's houso when thero were 400 people yelling like lunatics- Ho had heard of egg throwing, and other obj_cti6nable practices by Federationists; he believed tho eggs were thrown by.people on. his aide at -workmen: ReV fernng to the incident ho had told a meeting that the "scabs" had had eggs thrown at them, he usually used that term when speaking of the Arbitrationists Regarding the egg throwing, lie Had probably expressed approval of xj' Ho did not approve of violence. Ho would say to a meeting that he approved or such conduct, but on oath he would disapprove of throwing eggs. Ho had. come to tho conclusion that such conduct was wrong. He had not taken, any steps to inform.his fellow unionists of tho alteration of his hlT°u "'.i?? °° uld not say that he had altered his opinion on other things. He once thought ho would sooner die H« va federationists wero "bosses." E-_--&.n&___»_ fi _r to. ,„«„» _ w £_r_ _ f^ allegation that the men employed in tho mine, outs do a few Unimf «,_« were roughs and hooligans from the cities, he had come to this conclusion because of their subsequent h-haviou? Ho would swear that men were smug! gled into Waihi with the police and the companies' connivance, and that two men had come in a guard's van. tie based his statement on solid information ho had received. In regard to tho statements that men were driven to. the bush, women outraged, and f children violently treated, witness said Iho did not know a singlo instance of a I woman being outraged or of children being hurt. The violence used was that of bad words. There was not a single case of outrage or attempted outrage on women. In regard to his allegation of police criminality, he said that they looked on while assaults wero being committed. Ho admitted that summonses had since been issued against these' men, but still he believed the police were criminals. In reply to Mr .Mays as to the serious allegations made against the police of assaults on unionists, witness said" he did not know the name of a single constable who had used a riding crop, but ho said a man named Thomas Burke was struck by a mounted constable. Ho saw tho crop como down, but ho did not sco it actually strike Burke. Witness remembered Commissioner Cullen coming to the Miners' Union Hall and asking a party consisting of witness, Wesley Richards, and another, if they had any revolvers, and in reply they strenuously denied having any revolvers. Ho was speaking for himself; and if tho Commissioner understood that he was speaking on behalf of the union, then there was some misunderstanding. Mr Mays reminded witness that if tho party in the hall on that Monday afternoon had not deceived the Commissioner on the question of firearms, there would have been no shooting next day, and the constable would not have been shot, and Evans would not have died, as the men in all probability would have been disarmed.

During the evidence many facts wero adduced disposing of the allegations distributed by the Federationists, and quite the most important was the admission by Kennedy, as acting-president of the Miners' Union, to the effect that ho was not in a position to produce any evidence justifying, a public enquiry or Royal Commission, despite tho statement made by him to the Federation's official organ. His ev__ence indicated that he was not prepared to mako any direct charge against either the police or the Arbitrationiste. Further hearing of the charges was adjourned until nest day.