EXTRA EDITION.

Evening Post, Volume LXXXIII, Issue 140, 13 June 1912, Page 8

EXTRA EDITION.

PAT FOR IDLENESS HELPING THE WAIHI STRIKERS ADVERSE VOTE OF AUCKLAND TRAMWAYMEN £ST TBLEGRAPH — FBESS ASSOCIATION.} AUCKLAND, This Day. The tramway employees ballot resulted : -7-226 against* 197 in favour of a levy of two shillings per week to assist theminers on strike. TERMS OP STRIKE PAY. SINGLE MEN ADVISED TO BATCH. WAIHI, 12th June. ■ The town still maintains a quiet appearance. The forthcoming conference is not looked forward to with a great degree of hope in the.matter of a settlement, as the. latter seems impossible m the face of the conditions that the mineowners absolutely refuse to discuss the differences between the two unions. It is understood that the first general strike pay was made yesterday. A masfi meeting of single men wae held this morning under the auspices of the Waihi Minors Workers' Union. The chairman said it had been convened with a view to inducing more .single men to take" an active part in the strike. There were only two single men on the committee or on the subcommittees at the present time. The meeting had also been called j for the purpose of confirming the strike committee's recommendation regarding strike pay. The recommendation was that single men receive 15s a week, married men with two or less children 20s, married men with three children 255, men with four or more children • 30s. The union had decided to puri chase stones and sail to the strikers at I cost price. He advised the single men who could not make axangement to board at the rale of 15s per week to club together and "batch." It was resolved that single men accept 15s per week strike pay until further notice. Nothing was decided regarding the committee's desire as to single men taking a more active part in connection with the strike. The meeting, as usual, was held in camera. The pickets were well in evidence, no douot with the view of locating the origin of the press reports. THAMES MINERS DOUBTFUL. THAMES, 12th June. In connection with the Waihi miners' strike, a meeting of the executive of the Thames Miners' Union is being held to consider an application - from the Karangahake branch to vote a sum towards the assistance of the strikers. The position is a somewhat peculiar one. The Thames Miners' Union is registered under the Arbitration Act, and has just entered into an agreement drawn up in friendly conference with the mining companies. The Karangahake branch o£ the union is in sympathy with the strike, while a majority of the Thames miners are opposed to it. Karangahake is in favour of joining the Federation of Labour, but the Thames men are opposed to this. At the meeting it was pointed out that there was doubt ac to whether the Thames union — being registered under the/ Act — could either abet a etrike or assist the strikers. - Some discussion ensued on the poini, and eventually legal opinion was taken; and the executive then decided to contribute £20 towards the fund. THE REEFTON DEADLOCK QUESTION OF MINISTERIAL INTERVENTION. [BY TELEGRAPH — SPECIAL TO THB POST-I' CHRISTCHURCH, This Day. The Hon. G.> Laurenson, Minister of Labour and Marine, who kas completed a tour of Otago. arrived iir'ChristcnurcVi , last evening. Speaking of -the mining industrial disputes, the Minister said that he would: confer with the. Hon. J Colvin, ■ Minister of Mines, as to steps that should be taken in regard to the strike at Reefton. Conservative new* papers were clamouring for the Government to interfere. They merely wish ed to place the Government in a false position. _ The Government had taken legal advice, in order to determine its attitude to both the mining troubles at Waihi and Reefton, and ascertained that the Government was powerless to interfere. If the Government interfered at this juncture, indeed, it would be snubbed for its pains. Mr. CoTvin and he were only too willing to undertake the part of peacemakers if there was the slightest opening. MUST BE ASKED BY BOTH PARTIES. CHRISTCHURCH, This Day. The Hon. J. Colvin has been urged to intervene in the Reefton dispute, but stated he was unable to act as mediator unless asked to do so by both parties. JTe was anxious to see a settlement, and would willingly mediate ii" given the opportunity. LEVY OF 10 PER CENT. ! CHRISTCHURCH, 12th June. A, meeting of the Canterbury Labourers' Union was held last night. Mr. E. Howard gave a full account of the cause of the present trouble at Waihi and lleefton, and the following resolution was adopted:— "That a voluntary levy of 10 per cent, on members' earnfugb be struck, the funds so raised to be forwarded to the Federation of Labour, and to be earmarked to assist the wives and children of the miners who are out of work at Waihi and Reefton.