The Truth About the Strike.

Maoriland Worker, Volume 2, Issue 67, 28 June 1912, Page 2

The Truth About the Strike.

PRESS ANTACONISM. Simv the commencement of the Wailn and Keefton dillicuUies there has boon an apparent conspiracy on 1 In? part of Uk- press of. the country to obscuro the iasiK , in a hurricane <>f words, by wild generalities, or l;y b;u;o. innuendo. Tlio most, obvious facts havo been distorted in order to b<>L-;t-T "|> tlio mino-owners' position, and tho points upon which tlio disputes viilJv rest have I.)i->i>ii pr;u;tically Niippi'■. sS't'd. Nothing hii.-t been done which voul-d tend to impartially put the case for, tho minors before (ho public, for i\.-tir lost the tyrannical attitudoof the n.ineowners and the despicable conduct of their tools midit ivivive undue v.otiYo and with that notice the- condemnation of every thinking man and woman in tho community. FACTS OF THE CASE. Fir regard to Waihi H\ is nutst significant tho manner in which tlio Hi-a is being fostered that the majority oi th'> onginodiivern are connected with tlio illegitimate union. Such is nofc tho case. The niaiorihy of tho ongiiiodrivers and firemen are oven mor» bitterly "ppoeixl to the sen') concern +han nw the tvirwK. These nn-n say i-liat they will not work with "runaways." and in that they nre Hthtly nx\>ivins4 tho bncking of the Federntion ns a whole. The vory fact, (bat the bossw at Wai hi !i3vo assisted in tho formation of a hotels union, tondored it adviw. and fostornd it generally, is the very best evidoiico of who it is tint dc-sm-s tho nllogod union. All the di.sclaimors u|vm tho part of the mino-owners' ropro«<ntatives cannot alt"; that fact. Tho notion of certain shift bosses in Roinsi round tho bal-tevios sntno inon'hs ago soliciting siKnatiuvs of all those prepared to form a scab union is not forKotten. The Mine-owners' Association would just as glibly deny all liiiowled-' , e : of that attempt a.H it has done, of tho nioro roponti traitorous move. A NEFARIOUS CONSPIHACY, The fact is tho •employorfi on the Waihi soUlfiokls want the oniploveos to bo so bound that all of that ghastly sweating and unrestricted competition for contract** which wafi formerly in oxisfcence thoro might bo reintroduced. Takiim advantiviTO of tie Conciliation and Arbitration Act, it is hoped to ropo iiv the \wikers and effectively bind them down and prevent, except under a liosivy penalty, any opposition to this nefarious conspiracy. With tho men drugged back under ti'.o jurisdiction of tho court, with the union broken into sections, with cutthroat competition again tho order of the day, unionism a* a recognised force would be practically non-oxi=tent and everything would be lovely-for tho bosses ard their tools.

TAINTED MONEY. Tlfloso curious Waihi enginedrivers who havo formed their alleged union ni'tor so many unsuccessful attempts, then only succeeding bocuuso of the assistance of tho agents of t'ho mastorclaes, are in receipt of support from tho "very best people," viz., merchants' associations and so forth. The merchants and other '■representative citizens" personally havo no more respect or time for those weaklings than they havo for a dog suffering from an acuta attack of hydrophobia. 15ut as union.sm.ishers they aro welcomed and used and supported with gold wrung from tho sweat and blood and tears of minors and otlwirs exploited and killed in Waihi and eleowhore-. Just, as the. employer detests in his heart of hearts the spy and informer in the ranks of tho workers, but uses the information bo gained for hia own onds, so it is with tho Mine-ownors' Association in Waihi. As on* of tho most prominent mining representatives in New Zealand once said■ t«> the writer: "If you knew the information we gain from the workers thomselvos you wouldbo astounded. An a. man, I detest tlio informer, but I use the information »o gained in order to protect my company." THE REAL POSITION. Tho position at tho present time, is whether a email handful of unscrupulous individuals, in a unionist sense, are to be permitted to break down work-ing-class solidarity'; . Whether unionists who have complied with all the provisions of the law regarding arbitration shall bo coerced into accepting once nwo an institution they do not want? 'Whether the right of the majority shall rulo in union affairs; whether any 'small group of legitimate malcontents or employing class tools nre to be allowed, without question, to break-up unidimm? Whether, in short, unionism in New Zealand is to be allowed to exist and operate outside the pale of> the Arbitration Court? Let those who want arbitration have- arbitration. Oivo to those who do not want arbitration tiio samo privilege. HYPOCRITICAL DENIALS. Tho hypocritical attitude of the niineownors , representatives in disclaiming any knowledge of or assistance in tih<> formation of tho notorious bosses union deceives no one who has watched events. We do nofc contend that, say, Superintendent Barry personally interviewed prospective scabs or that ho attended meetings in order to organise Hcabbery. Ho would not be co foolish. Wβ all know that there are other ways of killing a snake than by hitting it violently'on tho head with a brick. The- same applies to tho formation of scab unions.