Dargaville

Maoriland Worker, Volume 4, Issue 147, 26 November 1913, Page 2

Dargaville

OPPOSITION TO ENROLMENT OF SPECIALS.

At a meeting in the Assembly Hall on November Bth. called by the Mayor (Mr. Hammond), Mr. H J. Slade (County Chairman), and Mr. A. E, Harding (Preside/it of the Chamber of Commerce), and Mr. T. Bassett (Choirman of the Wairoa Dairy Co.), "to discuss matters in connection with the piesent strike, and, if deemed advisable, to send a detachment of men to Auckland to act as special constables or help to unload vessels." The mayor said he was not there to take sides, lie was not prepared to say that the workers were not justified in striking, but they had no right to prevent others working. The Mayor of Auckland had replied that free laborers were not wanted, but special constables. Tr>at morning the Mayor of Auckland had wired that, workers were wanted not specials. The great cause of strikes was the Red Federation of Labor that would not accept arbitration. After several resolutions had been put to the meeting and carried relative to the necessity for enrolling men, he asked those present to discuss the subject before the meeting . Mr. A. Gregory moved: '"That this Dargaville meeting cf Northern Wairoa working farmers and others deplore the action of a few selfish mine holders bringing about such a shocking state of industrial upheaval as in the present national Dominion strike, and we call L'pon the New Zealand Parliament to use its unbiassed influence to bring this calamity to a speedy, honorable ant] peaceful ending. Also,, after which ending we respectfully request the aforesaid Parliament to immediately set up a Royal Commission tc search, to make enquiries and to seek out the real cause <Jf these deplorable strikes, with the object of considering the advisability of nationalising all mines,, ferries, trains, lighting and other necessary general conveniences, which are used by tho people as a whole, and thus provent irresponsible directorates of private and public companies using their most sei/ish power to further their subtle..machination to tho detriment of tho whole community." This the mayor refused to put to the meeting. ' v ' , Immediately after the close of the meeting many present expressed themselros dissatisfied with the way the chairman had acted. They decided to ■give expression to their views in tho Rink Theatre on tho following night. About 150 people were present, and Mr. A Orrgory moved the resolution which the mayor had refused to put to tho previous meeting Mr. B. E. Williams seconded it, and it wae carried unanimously. Mr. B. K. Williams, after stating that thp previous meeting was biassed, and that truth could no tbe ascertained by hitting a. man on the head with a baton, moved the following resolution, which was carried unanimously; ■•That t-hi? meeting of citizens of Dargaville call upon theGovernment to immediately appoint a Royal Commission to inq'ii're into'the miners' grievances at Huntlv, and the Huntly strike, and bring xiartiej in the wrong to justice. ,.