WAIHI AFTERMATH.

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume II, Issue 296, 19 November 1912, Page 2

WAIHI AFTERMATH.

STREETS NOW 1-REE TO ALL. Thames. Nov. 18. The Rev. Air. Cleary (vicar cf St. George’s, Waihi), Air. Rudd (president of the newly-formed Aimers’ Union of Waihi), and Air. Foster, speaking as a delegation from the. arbitrationists of Waihi. addressed a large public meeting at the Miners’ Union Hall to-night. The object cf the delegation was to refute the incorrect statements made by the federation leaders, supporters, and women as to the condition of affairs at Waihi. They detailed the incidents leading up to the :l< 1 e .-- mined action of the workers in claiming the right of British subjects to work and to proceed to work without police protection, which had suggested to them that they were being treated as prisoners. They merely determined to assert their rights as British subjects, and it was the insults to which many men and women had been subjected to fcr months that caused them to take the measures they did. No insults were offered to women by arbitrationists. The streets cf Waihi were now free to all. and a much happier state of things existed than under the system of organised insult and' terrorism exercised by the red: federation. The stories cf burning { bouses, assaults on men and women, and sensational statements made as! to maltreatment, were emphatically denied by the speakers. Air. Rudd aroused great enthusiasm by stating that Waihi was now free of the pernicious anarchistic tenets of the federation. and the workers were determined that- it would remain so. An open collection was taken up to defray the delegates’ expenses. The federationists held an open-air meeting in close proximitv to the hall.

POLICE PROCEEDINGS TO BE TAKEN. Wellington. Not. 18. The Alinister of Justice, in the course of an interview with a “Post” reporter, said people should net forget that gelignite and revolvers were employed by federaticnists, whose leaders were parading the country circulating wiki and baseless rumours. Peace was now restored, and AVaihi citizens could walk up and down the streets without fear of insult cr assault. Federationists were now transferring their attention to Huntly. The protection afforded by the police tc workers at Waihi could also be afforded to these at Huntly. Ample police protection would be given, and federationists would have to be shown very clearly that they were not going- to be’ allowed to run this country. Commissioner Cullen advises the Minister that the police are taking .proceedings against both abritrationists and federationists for assault and breaches of the peace during the late trouble. The cases are set down for to-morrow week. STRIKE PAY. Auckland, Nev. 18. Strike pay was distributed to the federationists from Waihi in Auckland to-day. Air. Fraser, member of the federation executive, stated that strike pay would be paid until the strike v as over. He was reticent as tc the amount of funds the federation had in hand, L-ut. increased contributions had been received lately.