STRIKERS IN DISTRESS

Greymouth Evening Star, 27 January 1914, Page 5

STRIKERS IN DISTRESS

AN APPEAL FOR HELP. MINERS' EMPHATIC PROTEST. (By Te^graph—Social to the Star.) DUNEDIN; This Day. Corres]M)ndence dealt with at the atj« nual meeting of the Kaitangata Miners* Union on Saturday threw some pathetic sidelights on the late strike. Mr E. Moore, secretary of the Miners' Union at Hun try, wired under date 23rd instant:—"Fifty families stranded here; also strike committee. Could you send anv assistance?"

Mr James Robertson, secretary of the Nightcaps Union wrote statf g that he had been instructed by his tknion to ask for financial assistance.

In both instancea the chairman remarked that fie understood settlements had been arrived at, but he supposed some of the men could not get back to work. He believed the Huntly. case was a deserving one, and it was the duty of the union to help.

A member rose and sharply administered a, rebuke in regard to the waste of money, which, he said, the union were indulging in. A" man "joined the Kaitangata Union and paid contributions for his interests and the union's benefit, nab with the idea that the funds should be extravagantly expended. He wished the chairman to understand that their union was not a charitable and* benevolent institution, and- the sooner the executive realised this the better. The chairman said he understood that the union's funds were for co-operation with other affiliated unions to promote the welfare of the workers of the industry.

It was left to the secretary to make further inquiries.