WAIHI'S STRIKE.

Feilding Star, Volume VI, Issue 1796, 17 May 1912, Page 3

WAIHI'S STRIKE.

MANDATE TO MINERS REGARD-

ING COAL SUPPLIES

THE POSITION AT HUNTLEY,

PER PRESS ASSOCIATION. AUCKLAND, May 16. The Herald's special correspondent at Waihi telegraphs that no official intimation regarding the decision of the Waikato Coal Miners' Union to stop supplies of coal from Taupiri to 'Waihi. When informed this evening of the notification given to the company, Mr Parry said he presumed the Waikato union had adopted this attitude to prevent any attempt by companies to resume operations with free labour. 'He expected that supplies for household purposes would be available so long as the union, advised by the Strike Committee, authorised them. The Herald correspondent at Huntley telegraphs as.follow: Mr T. H. Marshall, President of the Waikato 'Miners' Union, when seen to-day, stated that he had. placed the position, plainly' before tlie union at. a meeting held the previous evening. The Waikato union, he said, was part and parcel of the Federation of Labour, and, as such, had to obey the mandate of the executive of that body. "The mandate to. hand was that the supply of coal from Taupiri mines to Waihi should cease forthwith in the event of .the company refusing _to comply. There was only one thing for it. The miners .must be called out. A deputation had waited on Mr Ralph this afternoon, and, in reply, Mr Ralph had said it was a matter for the consideration of the directorate, and he would place their views "before the directorate at an early date. -On-inquiry at the mines office, it was found that orders for the usual supplies of coal for Waihi and Grand Junction mines had been cancelled, and that no coal was now being forwarded to them. As matters now stand, the wishes of the Waikato union have been met by the cancellation of orders, so that unless other questions crop up labour wimbles in Huntley need not be anticipated. DELIVERY OF- GOODS TO STRIKE' DISTRICTS. Auckland, May 17. . The Wholesale Merchants' Association passed a resolution urging strongly on traders in the districts affected by the strike the wisdom of insisting on receiving cash before delivery during the progress of a strike. They also resolved that, owing to the conditions existing in Waihi, Waikino and surrounding . districts, no order for these places will be supplied by members of this Association, "unless accompanied by cash for the full amount. Either directly, or .indirectly upwards of 5000 of the other inhabitants of Waihi and Waikino aro dependent upon the earnings of these workers for their livelihood and as the final.wages payhient s will be made by the mining companies during the next few days, there will afterwards be no channel through which the men can find the wherewithal to support themselves and their wives and families, apart from any contributions macle by outside unions. lhe appended table gives.the approximate number of employees of the companies and council who are affected, together with the weekly payments made: No. of Weekly Employees. Pay. Waihi g"m. Co. \.:i 1090 3625 'Waihi Grand Junction 430 l-8b Waihi Extended Co. lo to Waihi Gladstone Co. 12 * Waihi Borough Council /O -^w Totals ••• 16ir"^5_94