Labor's Unrest.

Mataura Ensign, 16 May 1912, Page 5

Labor's Unrest.

THE WASHI STRIKE. AT A STANDSTSLL. i KEARS OF AN EPIDEMIC. fBR > UNITED PRESS ASSOCIATION. AUCKLAND, May 16. , A menace to the health, of the town is threatenod by the stoppage of pumpnigs operations. The congested part of the town is drained by a service of con-j crete channelling, washhouses, kitchens; and urinals being drained into, the chan-j nels and the matter taken into the Ohinemuri River. The channels have been kept clean by diverting the water j from the mine into them but the same amount of water from the borough sersive would reduce the town supply to a dangerous limit. The borough is doing its best to keep the channels sluiced out but if the strike continues for at length j of time an epidemic may result. It is estimated that the money in circulation at Waihi is affected to the extent of £6OOO per week. Shift bosses and tally-clerks are patrolling, the mines nigh'; and day. Affairs at the neighboring mining districts of Thames and Karangahake are reported to be quiet. The miners at both places belong to the Thames Miners' Union. j It is stated that a section of the Karangahake miners is showing a feeling of unrest in sympathy with the Waihi miners, but so far there are no serious indications of trouble. In reference to the stoppage of coal going to the Grand Junction mine the Borough Council would have taken it to therms works, being led to believe that, would be offered to its The union, however, objected during the cartage and the bulk of the coal had to remaia. Efforts were then made by the Mayor to have the coal taken to the hospital, but the union beld it up. ROLL CALL AND STRIKE PAY. WAIHI, May 16. Everything is quiet. The union held a roll-call this morning and only those answering their names will be given ■trike pay. A large number of contracts have lapsed owing to the 48-hours non-man-ning limit having expired. The contractors will be heavy losers. The officials at the Grand Junction mine have been working cleaning up the remaining slimes but no wages men are employed. The Minister for Public Works (Hon. W. D. S. Mac Donald) is endeavoring to secure work on the East Coast Railway for the borough married employees until the Council's revenue starts to come in again. THE EMPLOYERS' VIEW. AUCKLAND, May 16. . Mr D. Goldie (chairman of the Auckland Employers' Association), in an interview regarding the Waihi strike, stated that the employers should and would assist those men who with their (families were suffering because they desired to act in accordance with the law. This appeared to Mr Goldie to be in the interests of all the workers and therr families. The Government must put a stop to the possibility of men who made speeches causing strikes in the Dominion. Australia with a Labor Government had such a law. ( He expressed regret that the Government of New Zealand did not enforce against the unions and strikers the penalties provided by the laws " under Clause 9 of the Arbitration Act. Drastic legislation must be passed to prevent the present state of things continuing. Every man was entitled to a fair day's pay for a fair day's work, but to have our industries paralysed at the, whim of a few men who neither toil norj spin was beyond endurance and must bo stopped with a firm hand. A SIGNIFICANT FACT. WAIHI, May 16. A Miners' Union cheque for a small amount was presented at the National Bank this morning Tbut was returned to the drawers. It is reported that the business places are shortening hands. Free picture shows and socials for the unionists and their wives continue. COST OF A STRIKE. MOUNT LYELL RETURNS. MELBOURNE, May 16. The half-yearly report of the Mount Lyell mine states that 63,651 tons ofi ore were treated, which produced 1500 ] tons of blister copper, containing 1482 tons of copper, 102.45±0z of silver and 1858oz of gold. The strike in the first j two months was responsible for the re-i duced figures. The output was also af-i fectecL-' by the scarcity of labor since work has been resumed. The operations resulted in a net profit of £20,523. The cost of the strike was shown at £7317. j The directors decided to utilise the water rights held by the company at Lake iMargaret, seven miles distant from the works, for the production of electricity and supplying all the current required. They will provide funds for the scheme by the sale of 100,000 shares unissued in the capital of the company. [The new shares will be offered at 25)s to registered shareholders on May 27, in the proportion of one to 12 held. NOVEL CAUSE OF A STRIKE. Received May 16, 10.40 a.m. SYDNEY, May 16. The Pelawmain miners struck because .a miner was dismissed for excessive swearing.