IN THE BULLER

Maoriland Worker, Volume 6, Issue 243, 13 October 1915, Page 7

IN THE BULLER

The Ngakawau meeting. on Sunday night, 19th' September, ivas a good one, although the attendance was not large. Mr. D. Alexander, secretary MinersFederation, presided, and in opening .speke ; .briefly, concerning. ,t-he recent miners' conference in " Christ-church. The meeting was an enthusiastic one, and. at the close Mr. H. Gribben proposed' a. vote of thanks, which was heartily given; , * .*. ,':* .- On Monday-morning, 20th September, another climb in tho bright sunlight. The bush clad hill scenery was beautiful. On reaching the top I emphasised this opinion to Larry Diamond, who informed mc that Joseph McCabe had been more emphatic still on tho matter. So I hope -visiting comrades will note that it is tho approved and accepted thing to praise the scenery up the Denniston track,- especially after Joseph McCabe having (rationalistically speaking, of coursed blessed, it. *a & . Comrade Diamond heartily concurred in my opinion. v "But," he went, on, "for my part I prefer climbing it like Mark Twain'climbed, Mont Blanc— hy telescope." ""■*'" "■";..'*... * ..'..'*' 1 All the-'same, the scenery .through which the Denniston track winds must be among the finest in New Zealand. ■ ■* *..*.: ' : ...On this occasion.-1-did.the journey along with a. miner whose-opinions on underground horses and'ibings in general were expressed in" language fro- j quent and painful and free, and full- j blooded and picturesque, and with a commercial traveller who knew everything—yes, everything. For instance, he'described how pleased a certain eapi-1 talist in Wellington was, how -this capitalist ejaculated in huge delight, how his chuckles became painful to the "commercial/ who -was in tho capitalist's office at tho time, on that eventful day during the last -strike wlien Hickey said ''To Holl with agree r tncnts." I am sure Mr. Hickey will be'glad to learn the exact time when he made this statement. I just hinted that' perhaps Mr. Hickey had not used exactly those words, or that P er h a P' i he never referred to the matter during the last, strike, and ventured the opinion .that. Rickey's word* had been distorted by the press somo tiireo or four years previously. But the "commercial" knew bettor. He had been in the office in question, ho had witness- < eil the unholy delight of the capitalist in question, on tho very morning in question—it was about 11-30 a.m. on i>ecember 3rd—some exact date in early December, 1914, and the news had come over tho 'phone. That was the end of the discussion. How could any ono refrain from accepting the story after that? I am sure Mr. Hickey couldn't.

ORCANISINC SECRETARY'S NOTES

The meeting at Denniston that night was just fairly good. Tho difference between meetings at Burnett's Face and Denniston 19 rather remarkable, and is experienced . by . practically every visiting speaker. . * * * I go up to Denniston again on Saturnight next to attend tho Union meeting on Sunday 20th. Mr. J. Dowgray will also be there in connection with Miners' Federation matters. Tho Denniston Union is affiliated to the Party, and I am staying a few "days longer in the district'to have the chance of addressing the members at their Union meeting. * •* * I put. in an appearance at the meeting of the railway men on Friday, Septemlker 24th, but it closed up early to allow the members to attend a public meeting to condemn the Harbour Board. That meeting condemned all right. * * -XAn open-air meeting for theipurpose of protesting against the high cost of living, and against the continued victimisation of men on the. Auckland and Greymouth waterfronts, has been arranged in Westport for Saturday, 25th September.. A brief visit, to Millerton in the early part of next week will complete my visit, to the Buller. •« * .» I hope to be commencing work in the Grey about October Ist . • ■" ■ . •«■ * -XTho Wellington Branch has sent fra- , ternal greetings to the "Labour Lead-j er" and the Independent Labour Party. | I tbrow out the suggestion that other, branches and Unions might do- the ! same. Our comrades in Britain aw! lighting a courageous battle agains-'.t • great odd.-*. We cannot' do .much to! assist them. Let feel that- we aro with llieni and appreciate their] splendid work on behalf of iiiteniatioii-j alism. * •£ :P Victimisation still continues in Auckland and Greymouth. Tho promised legislation has not yet been introduced.; When it ia brought down it i-i' almost certain, from present indication,?, to be inadequate and disappointing. Surely Labour can make up its mind that this disgraceful stato of affairs should cease. If we cannot strike tho economic power to victimiso,from the hands, of the employers right away, wo can surely demand that .its legal sanction be with-, drawn. Let tho Government know that the workers have no overwhelming desire to fight for ihe liberty to starve. Toll the "National" Government that is what victimisation means. Let every branch of tho Party and affiliated Unions, and every Labour organisation in the country send in their protest to every Member of the Gov-

/rnmcul. They an> all opially rosjKinisiblc. All together then, ••'Down with ; victimisation." * -.i * i Congratulations to the Wellington : Waterside Workers' Union ou their successful stand against all-night work. It gives one hope for Labour in tbe near future. j -r * •" jlf any reader desires information i about the Social Democratic Party, its 'principles and its aciiThies. write at lento to .1. Glover, Hon. See-Treas.. 'I*o. Boy JO*. Wellington. j P. FRASER.