OUTDOOR SPEECHES

Evening Post, Volume LXXXVI, Issue 104, 29 October 1913, Page 8

OUTDOOR SPEECHES

FANNING THE STRIKE FIRE DOINGS IN THE SQUARE. The Post Office j square was the scene of further oratorical effort to-day, when much of the sentiment heard the last few days was repeated. A dense crowd of strikers listened to the speakers, whose tbrrid remarks met with general approval. One of the first speakers was Mr. E. E. Canham, president of the Auckland Waterside Workers' Union, who explained that he had received a telegram from his own union calling him back. The telegram was read, and announce^ that the Auckland men vrere all standing solid, and added that Mr. Canham should return immediately unless it was deemed advisable ihut he remain in Wellington to help the strikers. Tbe speaker said that tho strike was going to spread until it was settled with peace and honour. Blind, rigid adherence to law and order was no good to the vmtk-

making of the lav/. If the Government of the country was going to interfere on the employers' behalf, if it was going to stand side by side with the minority, "there was going to be ructions." The speaker urged the men not to' come into conflict with the police. Not that he had any respect for law and order, but because he did not want to see a repetition of the fatal affair at Waihi. He further /urged all those people who were not watersiders not to be scabs, not to be traitors to their class. It < would not matter if all the employers in the world fell off the planet,- the working class would still carry on industry. He believed in the strike being peaceful and honourable, if the Government, through their agents the police, would allow it to be so carried on. A VEILED THREAT. In the inteiregnum during two of the speeches, the Chairman (Mr. Bailey) remarked that it had come to his ears that a messenger from the Prime Minister's office was in the crowd, and he had better leave. . "His name is Viking," said the speaker, "and if he goes carrying any tales to that 'box of tricks' ovor there (with a, flourish of the arm in the direction of Parliament Buildings) I won't be answerable what might happen to him." AWAITING THE WORD. Dtating. the morning a Labour Union* | official from Auckland, after referring to the fact that the Auckland watersiaers had quitted work, said that the Drivers' ! Union./ (his own union) was prepared to do the same. It was only waiting the word from the Federation. After Mr. ,H. Scott Bennett, the Socialist orator, haranged the crowd, along the lines of his addresses on Sunday afternoon and evening. This completed the elocutionary efforts for the morning, and at midday the long stream nf oratory was brought to a, t eheek — at any rate for a while. The ' Waterside Workers' Band, which has worked more overtime during striko week than it has ever done before, had disappeared from ken, and all was cahn and peaceful during the lunch hour. AN INTERJECTION. "REALLY NOT~RJESPONSIBLE." Interested spectators at meetings in the Square have listened to the speeches from the vantage points afforded by the Post Office windows. Just at 'the close of one of the addresses this morning a young man in one of theee groups gave vent to 'his disagreement with a speaker's sentiments with a loudly-shouted -."Liar." Quite a number of the, strikers immediately called on him to come out and T&peat his statement, but the Chairman of the meeting remarked— "Don't take any notice of that. They're Teally not responsible for their actions. "-