Strike and Lock-out.

Maoriland Worker, Volume 2, Issue 72, 26 July 1912, Page 5

Strike and Lock-out.

News and Views.

NEW ZEALAND FEDERATION OF LABOR.

Consider tho ways of the little green cucumber, which never does its best lighting till it is down.

The Canterbury General Laborers' Union lorwarded £100 on July 13 as a contribution to the. .Waihi strike fund. _ _ *

•V lencthv interview with Pat Hickey appears in' Newcastle "Morning Herald" of July 8. Hickey puts the facts concerning Waihi and Reef ton, and thus finishes: ''New Zealand unionists regarded Australian unionists as comraTlus in any fight that might take place on cither side of the Tasman Sea, and they bad proved the sincerity of their feelings in this respect by refusing to do anything that would tend to defeat their fellow-workers in Australia, when the latter were engaged in the big coal-mining smuggle 2i years ago, and also by contributing liberally to their support. His short experience in Australia proved to him that that support which the Federation of Labor looked for from Australia would be readily forthcoming. Personally, ho could say they would never forget in New Zealand the assistance that was rendered them in their hour of need."

At a meeting of tho Waihi Chamber of Commerce last week, it was unanimously resolved: "That tin's Chamber oi' Commerce respectfully re-

The Campaign for* Workingdass Triumph.

REEFTON, July 13

quests the Hon. the Prime Minister to take such steps as will bring about a speedy and amicable settlement of the present unsatisfactory state of affairs in Waihi, as a consequence of the existing strike."

The chairman of the citizens' committee received n communication from the Consolidated management, on behalf of the Mine-owners' Association, stating that they could not resume work in the mines pending arbitration, as suggested by the Premier. Now, if the F.L. had thus snubbed Masscy what a howl there would have been. Even this wire didn't get into all the Dominion dailies.

On Tuesday of lust week, Mr. Glover received £GOO from Australia towards the fund for the Waihi and Reefton miners. The Federation has boon informed that the Newcastle miners have voted £200 to the same fund, and are considering the question of imposing a levy. The minors at Wonthaggi, Victoria, have made a first donation of £45 and have struck a levy, while the Broken Hill miners are paying weekly a levy of Gd. per head. The General Laborers' Union of New South Wales has voted £20 to the fund.

Tho Greymouth Chamber of Commerce has passed a resolution congratulating Mr. Masscy, the Prime Minister, on his intention to introduce legislation to deal with Labor troubles. Watch and wait!

A ballot was taken last week by the Greymouth Waterside Workers on the question whether they should secede from the Federation of Labor. The result was: Against the Federation, 102; for, 61.

Auckland Furniture Workers "realise that the Waihi miners are struggling for the vital principles of unionism, and therefore offer our moral and financial support."

gine-drivers

Cannot other branches of the Socialist Party follow the example of the Auckland branch and take up a retiring collection for the strikers and lockedout?

The State Collieries Deputies' Union, which voluntarily imposed a levy of 5 per cent, for the strike and lock-out fund, writes to Secretary Glover trusting victory will be the Federation's in the magnificent fight for the Waihi miners and against "the injustice meted out to the,, Reefton miners."

Notwithstanding tliat the Inaugahua Miners' Union has an agreement which provides for two men on rock drills, and are "out" at Bcefton because they won't break their agreement, we do not notice any newspaper shrieking about the mine,downers breaking agreements. No, the Federation of Labor, which hasn't broken an agreement in its life, is the body to shriek lies against.

11l a recent letter a correspondent makes reference to the evidence at Waihi concerning the Reefton dispute. He comments: "The masters were there in all their strength, and to see their calm expression when swearing the most glaring inaccuracies makes one wonder if ever they think that they might be called upon to answer for their evil doings in the world to conic. They are swearing most awful things in reference to 'poppers' being worked single-handed —never saw two men working a popper in their lives, and other things equally ridiculous."

As the finale of the recent American Socialist Convention, a cablegram as follows was sent to Tom Mann: "We cheer your stand against fratricide." W. T. .Mills persists in dubbing tho American specifically Socialist movement as a Labor movement, afraid, presumably, of the word "Socialist." And In. says' the American Socialist Party is just like his United Labor Parly. Well, dare the U.L.P. cheer Tom Mann's stand, and- dare it term it "against fratricide?"

Regarding tho paraded statements that discontent with the F.L. exists in the ranks of the Wellington Waterside Workers, a "Dominion" reporter saw Mr. G. 0. Farland, secretary of the union. In answer to inquiries, Mr. Farland said: "As far as 1 know, there is no truth in the statement that an attempt will shortly be made by a section of the members to secede from the Federation of labor and join the United Labor Party. There may be some discontent among members, but this is winter, and work on the wharves is slack at this time of the year. Naturally, tho men have more opportunity of getting together, and there is some discontent evident among them owing to this cause. You will always get this state of affairs at a slack period at this time of tho yfar." a • -

In sending a cheque for £5, E. Tuiinicliffo (Palmerston North) writes: "I send this not only in sympathy with

the strikers, but as a protest against the deliberate misrepresentations of the Folding "Star" and W. T. Mills of what took place at the lattor's JFcildiog meeting."

The Sydney "Sunday Times" expresses the opinion that the Now Zealand workers who are leaving for Australia because thero are "too many strikes in their country," must be singularly deficient of information in respect of industrial difficulties in t<ho Commonwealth.

On the one day he had in Wellington Harry Holland addressed a meeting of Wellington watersides and explained all about that "poor pianist." Ho mentioned that tho Rev. Smailos, an Anglican clergyman, and formerly a Labor member (N-S.W.), had said he was perfectly well aware that the mineowners wore behind ttio runaway en-

As the result of a ballot taken and a voluntary subscription list passed round among the members of the Wellington Letterpress and Lithographic Printers' Machinists' Union, about £20 collected for the benefit of the wives and families of.the miners in Reefton and Waihi.

"The Arbitration Court in New Zealand is like sticking a porous plaster on a wooden leg," said Wilford, M.P., at Lower Hutt tho other night.

"The right to strike is fundamental." —Lloyd George.

Pat. Fraser (executive) has been doing good work in the Gisbornc district.

W. E. Parry attended proceedings held at Waihi for the purpose of taking evidence on the "popper" question. Ho states that the case against tho single-handed use of the drill was overwhelming.

Thus "Tho Rebel" (Waihi):—

It is freely rumored that many rifles in the hands of the "Terriers" have been called in locally siueo tho strike occurred. Significant.

Tho member of the scab union who writes to tho press rejoicing in the fact that he is called a scab is worthily carrying out tho old adage: "There is no accounting for taste." Harry Holland's last Waihi lecture on "Conscription" was an ever-to-be-remombcred address.

If tho section of waterside wagemules of Wellington were as energetic in fighting for themselves as they are in providing "quids" for traitors of the working-class, we would hear less of "surprise and indignation" at boycotting and more of class solidarity.

A rude member .of the Miners' Union suggested that the reason wh> the local undertaker-councillor was so bitterly opposed to the strike was be-/ canso his "material interests were seriously affected."

Prior to tho strike, tho local hospital was taxed to its utmost capacity, and now it is nearly half-empty. No mention has been made of this matter in tho capitalistic press.

The minors arc puzzled to know ho«« they have lo<st £40,000 in wages, as the "Master's Voice" says, seeing that they never bad it to lose. It seems

very much like saying, "I lost £1001' in Tattersall's sweep, but I never had a ticket." Tho paper account gavo tho show away, for the gold production. lost would have panned out at £125,000 while Bill Dungaree's share would ha*» been £40,000. If tho remaining £85,000 went to the shareholders, wouldn't those slavcbuyers be unpffl* riotic if they didn't believe in telling us to fight for "their country?"

The General Laborers' Union at Gi» borne on July 18 decided to voto £11 to the Waihi and Reefton strike fund*. Tho following resolution was carried with enthusiasm: —"That this union if with tho miners heart and soul in tiio struggle against oppression, and espressos the hope that their fight wit be brought to a successful and specdjp issue."

A ballot taken' at the Kailangatft mine on July 1G by the Federation union to ascertain whether tho men favour an agreement with the emplojw ors under the Arbitration Act or Fcd-j oration of Labor, resulted as follows :-<j For the Federation 140 For the arbitration 26 Informal 1 It is said that the members of tfal Arbitration Union did not vote. Why? i. • • Somple, Howard and Ridd have been kept busy in and about Kaitaugata.

Auckland DriVers' Union, at a special meeting, voted £60 to tho strike and lock-out fund. Then the committee vetoed the decision in doubt, it said, as to the legality of tho grant Legal advice did not uphold the doubt. But, what about tho money?

The drivers o£ the Dominion waited upon the F.L. conference and got * guarantee that the Federation was for the drivers in their "trouble." Sona« drivers are for Waihi and Reefton, bufc there are others.

] - Lnoontestably the joke of tho year was J. H. Bradney, M.P-, "lawnorder " lecturing the Auckland watorsidors. Sohoficld and others were too much for him—economically and even on things as they seem.

The N.Z.F.L. delegates — Messrs. Semplo and Howard—addressed * crowded meeting at Wilson's Hall on Sunday night week on the Waihi and Reefton troubles. Mr. Somplo was tho principal speaker, and delivered an impassioned address on the rights and wrongs of these mining disputes. Mr. Howard also spoke, after which a number of questions were satisfactorily dealt with. A collection was taken up for the strikers.

The Otago papers have been full of Kaitangata. news and correspondence. Secretary Ridd has been given a report of a slashing address and has also £<»t in at least one lengthy and brilliant lotter.

Tho Tnangahua "Times" needn't be silly even if it is anti-Fodcrationist.

Howard picturesquely describes hi* experiences at Kaitangata, and is especially clever in depicting the astonishment of some arbitrationists when they heard Semple declare he didn't want a strike.

Statement eliowing total receipts <i Strike and Lock-oiit Fund to July 15, 19J2. Name of Unicu. Members. Total. \V«iikato Miners ... 475 £.300 0 0 Deuiiiston Miners ... 401 3fi0 0 0 Granity Miners ... 390 500 0 0 State Miners (Dunollio) 400 470 14 0 Otago Minors 241 195 0 0 Greon Island Minors 70 51 ft 0 Minors ... 54 90 10 0 Taitapu Miners 20 5 0 0 Westknd Tailors ... 5 0 0 Westport-Suwkton 150 82 0 0 Blackball Minors ... 210 474 13 0 Pi-nniston Enginedrivers 20 33 6 6 Swldonvillo 90 39 7 G Kiripaka 35 39 U 6 West Coast Workers 309 100 0 0 Canterbury Laborers ....' 954 25 3 1 Auckland General Laborers 800 90 0 0 Wostpnrt L a b o r Union 190 80 13 6 Wdliiitfton W.W.... 1000 243 7 G Auckland W.W. ... 750 261 14 1 Foxton W.W 25 2 2 0 Dunwlia 278 C8 12 0 Nelson 50 18 10 0 LyUolton 315 306 10 1 Tiinaru 140 168 10 0 Pit-ton W.W 40 Patea- 23 2 0 0 Auckland Tramways 475 40 10 0 Greymouth W.W. ... 190 Westporb W.W. ... 123 174 13 9 Shearers' Association 3589 Auckland Brewery Workers' Union... 141 Wellington Gas Stokers' Union ... 35 13 13 0 Manawatu Flaxnrillniillera 623 Grey Valley Work- * <rs 50 OtnKO Artificers 35 2 0 0 Miners... 8 16 0 0 £1282 7 0

AucklaikI Branch S.P Canterbury Freezing Works Union Addinetton Branch A.S.H.S Wai ma to Labor Union Wellington Operative Bootmakers' Union Stato Coal Deputies' Union Xnpier Painters and Decora tore Taratahi Meat Worlds Union ... Huntly Methodist Church (coll.) ... Cliristclnirch Tin.sniitlis and M.W. Union 28 1 0 25 0 0 8 10 0 7 0 0 10 0 0 13 0 0 5 5 0 5 0 0 3 14 0 2 8 0 Cantcr'niry Met a I V.'orkors' Assistants' Union F. Auckland Ship, Yacht, .and Boat Builders' Employees' Union Auckland (lardenors' Union Individual subscriptions 4 0 0 5 0 0 5 0 0 2 1G 0 27 9 0 Total £4139 10 0