MINERS AND THE DAY.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLIII, Issue 13210, 22 June 1906, Page 7

MINERS AND THE DAY.

WAIHI MEN REFUSE TO WORK. [BY TELEGr.ArH.~OWX COBBESrOXDENT.] ; : Waiui, Thursday. If the remains of Mr. Seddcm had been interred at Waihi the workers could not have shown greater respect to his memory. For the past five days negotiations have been in progress between the Miners' Union and the mine manager, with a view to closing down the mine for seven hours front eight a.m. to three p.m., on the day of the luneral, but" the management could not see its way clear to grant the request. The men, however, were determined on this occasion to have their own way, and tnc whole of the underground stall' absented themselves from the eight a.m. and four p.m. shifts to-day, whilst the. shift that should have gone on to-night at twelve o'clock are also absenting themselves so that the mines will bo closed down for the fidl 24 hours. The stoppage is, of course serious, and the action of the men came as a. surprise to the management, and the only alternative was.to close down the works for 24 hours. The men, it may be. stated, have forfeited: their day's pay, but this sacrifice they were willing to make in order that they might show their respect to the memory of one they regarded as the befit, friend the workers ever had. It is doubtful if any section of the labouring class in the colony made such ,a sacrifice as the miners of Waihi.

To-day a big demonstration took place at Waihi, under the auspices of • the Waihi Miners' Union and the Liberal and Labour League. It was attended by close on 4000 people. The Waihi Federal Band, under the eonductor.ship of Mr. C. Tins-sell; the volunteers, under Major Ke«rick. the cadets, under Captain Lloyd; the members of the Waihi Borough Council, the Miners' Union, the Liberal and .Labour League, the Oddfellows. Foresters, Druids, Reehabites. and Hibernian. Friendly Societies met at the Drill Shed at two o'clock,, and being marshalled by Major Kenrick, the procession in the order named marched to the Recreation Ground. Hundreds of people lined the thoroughfares. The crowd gathered round the band rotunda, from which Mr. J. Newth, president, of tho Miners' t Union, referred to the lime, 30 years ago, when he first met Mr. Seddoii in a little room at Ivumara. when the latter was soliciting assistance from the West Coast miners in recognising flic work done by Mr. Bonar in the Provincial Council, which had then been abolished. It was not then thought that M:. Seddon would rise to such an eminent position; 'As a community of workers they cue and all deplored the loss by death of one of the greatest friends the workers ever had. Mr. Donaldson, in the absence of the Mayor, who was representing Waihi at the funeral at Wellington, spoke on behalf of tho borough, and ho thought no town of its size in the colony had responded to the note of sympathy as Waihi had done. Messrs. Armstrong and Johnston, representing the Miners' Union; Mr. A. TI. Benge, the cause of education; Mr. J. Henderson, Waihi District High School Committee; Mr. Munns, Foresters; Mr. J. Malcolmson. the Druids: Mr. .Seymour, the Rechabites: and Mr. Max B." King, the Waihi Hospital; all spoke for their respective organisations, and gave expressions' of sympathy in the loss of so threat- a benefactor. The urocefdines were oneried by prayer by the Rev. W. Perry, and the Rev.' J. Pattullo read the lesson, and after the band had rendered the "Dead March",in "Saul."' the greatest demonstration ever held at Waihi closed with the Benediction by the Rev. T. A. Woollosa.ll. IN MEMORIAM. RICHARD JOHN" SEDDOK. 01). June 10, ISC6. (11. Samuel i.. 19-23.) Over the bosom of Hi' uiifsMioined deep The dark-plumed angel's dusky wings are spread ; Slowlv to shore the sobbing surges sweep, Bearing', alas! the burden of our dead. He that .we loved returns to us no more; Silent and still for evermore he lies. ".How is the mighty fallen weeping sore, 'Hie sad heart of a sorrowing people cries. lie was n Prince, indeed—a Prince like Saul, Who, Jk'hinijr, fell upon Uilboa'S lieijrlit: So fell our Prince at last, as Prince sliauld fall, Right in the very thickest of the fight. " How is the mighty fallen '." Fallen lit Whose thought.) were swifter than the eagle's wins*; Swift to devise and plan, as swiff, to see Right to tlis very inmost heart of things. "How is the mighty fallen!" He whose heart Was stronger than the lion's heart is strong; Heady aye, ready for Hie patriot's part, The right to champion and resist the wrong. Yet ready, aye. the. weak fo aid and blew. Right well he strove to raise his fellow man. And, patient with a strong man's tenderness, For sick and poor he lived to toil and plan. He gave the befit of hand and heart and brain. Love of the people was bis actions' spring: First for New Zealand's free and fair domain, Next for the Empire and the Empire's King. And now at last we lay him gently down In "God's own country" that he loved the best; Surely for him shall tie the patriot's crown , .In God's own land of everlasting rest. .—Wu. J. Steward. . IN MEMORIAM. . RIGHT BOX. It. J. SEDDON. The doom has fallen that is Victory; For, to! b door in highest heav'n did close With thunder, and a nameless sorrow flows Round all our hearts—a dark, tumultuous sea. A mighty minister of earth is free! Is this'our grief, when each great planet glows With fervent fire to pluck the blossoming rose Of his strong Soul to aid its monarchy? Come, let us laugh at poor deluded Death And his plumed pageantry, that hides with tears The mortal 'ncath the consecrated sod ! . . He is the slave no more of pulse or breath, Or Time that gyves iUelf in rusting years, But caie. who shares eternity with God. ' Hamilton, -June 18, 1906. D. M. Ross. At a meeting of the executive committee of the Auckland centre of the St. John Ambulance Association yesterday, it was decided to send a letter to Mrs. Seddon, assuring her of the sympathy of the committee with her and her family in their sad bereavement.

In the Hawke's Bay district during the last year a farm of 180 acres, 22 of which were in rape, carried 700 ewes, and fattoned both them, their lambs, and an additional 900 lambs, totalling in all 2300 lambs and sheep that were frozen for export. An average crop of rape ha* carried 20 lambs to the acre for two months, and, after st, spell, carried ' eight . for 'a further two months. In this instance the seed was drilled in with about ljcwt of bonedust and superphosphate mixed. The Italian ryegrass has been found productive of excellent results, especially when rain has fallen in the months of. February and March. Two and a-half bushels should be sown to the acre, and the soil worked fine and well rolled. Such a pasture lasts two years, cutting a heavy crop of hay when sown in the. autumn," and carrying with spells 12 sheep to the acre. Land sown broadcast in spring, with Italian rye and rape, and given 2cwt of dry blood manure, lias been known to fatten 40 lambs to the acre, provided they were in good forward condition. ; • A SIMILE AND A MORAL—".What the dustman is to the dwelling: in which we live, that Hun.vadi Janos is to the local habitation of the human spirit." Thus writes a well-known medical writer.