WORKEKS AT WAIHI.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLIX, Issue 15123, 14 October 1912, Page 8

WORKEKS AT WAIHI.

BATTERY RUNNING THREE

SHIFTS.

THE DAWN OF. COMMON

SENSE.

MEN TIRED OF IDLENESS

MANY RESUMING THIS WEEK.

[HE TELEGRAPH.—OWN CORRESPONDENT.]

W.vmi, Sunday. Set en additional men—including thei three miners taken on at Waikino on Fridaycommenced work at the, Waihi mine on Saturday morning. Six of the number were .sent underground, the seventh being a hraeemun.

During Friday. 520 tons of quartz were railed from the mine to the Waikino battery, and there was also a very good tally for tho half-day on Saturday. The battery is now running three shifts, with 140 stamps in commission on the day shift, and 95 on the afternoon and night shifts. Tho tonnage of ore. being treated is from 320 to 450 tons per day, and the quantity will be increased as additional workers are, taken on. Before tho end of the present week the ore being drawn .off from tho shrinkage blocks in the mine will amount to 400 tons daily.

Tho steady increase in the number of workers employed since tho re-opening of tho mine- and tho excellent progress made in raising quart?, for treatment have, undoubtedly impressed the. striker?. Some of tho snore militant members of the Miners' Union are still endeavouring to persuade their comrades that if the unionists stand solid the company will bo compelled, in tho course of a few weeks, to again suspend underground operations, but men who think for themselves recognise that there will be no cessation of mining, and that if they do not soon return to work their places will be filled by others. Men who have homes of their own in the district, and who have wives and families to care and provide for, seeing defeat inevitable, are not likely to stand aside for long and allow men from elsewhere to take tip the work at which they for years past have earned good good money. Many of the miners of tins class now "feel that they have put up a good fight in a mistaken cause, and that to prolong the futile struggle would bo foolish in the extreme. With this feeling, numbers of them are going back to -work, and some will make a start on Monday morning. One party or" miners will go on with the. Grand Junction Company, and others have intimated their intention of going into the Waihi mine. That numbers of others will resume during the week may be taken for granted. The thinking miners of Waihi are fully alive to the fact that tho Federation of Labour can do nothing beyond furnishing strike pay, and that it can do that only so long as tho outside unions continue their contributions. They feel that if they do not resume work before the fund is exhausted there will be little or no prospect of their finding employment on the field, as several mouths must elapse before tho mining companies are in a position to offer work to hundreds of the men formerly in their employ. The whole of tho cards are now on the table face up, and the hand played by the federation contains no trumps. The demonstrations made against workers on their way to and from -work on Saturday were quite the most feeblo since work was resumed by the Waihi Gold Mining Company. Detachments of women are, however, still assembling about the homes of certain of the workers and indulging in language ill-befitting their sex. They have also been demonstrating against other residents of the district not in the employ of the company., presumably because they are not in Sympathy with the strike. Tho regrettable tactics adopted have in no way, influenced the workers, and appear to bo injuring, rather than helping the cause of the strikers.

This afternoon the strikers held an open-air demonstration on the recreation reserve. Several speeches were made, and musical items were contributed by the Union Brass Band.

WELLINGTON WATERSIDERS. BALLOT FOR A "HOLIDAY." (l»Y TELEGRAPH.— ASSOCIATION.) Wellington, Sunday. The Wellington Wharf Labourers' Union decided yesterday to take a secret ballot on next Tuesday and Wednesday, as to whether next Saturday shall be observed as a full holiday for the purpose of holding a demonstration of sympathy with the imprisoned Waihi miners. FRUITLESS DEMONSTRATIONS. SMALL MUSTER AT LYTTELTON. [BY TELEGRAPH. TRESS ASSOCIATION.] CmuSTCHiniCH, Sunday. The LyHelton waterside workers' demonstration against the imprisonment .of Waihi miners was held on Saturday morning in threatening weather. Although the membership of the union numbers nearly 350, those in the procession did not exceed 150. and some of them were recruits from Christchurch. The procession was formed outside the Coronation Hall shortly after 9.30. Very little interest was taken in the proceedings by residents of Lyttelton. The demonstrators encircled the gaol grounds, and speeches were delivered in front of the main entrance.

Work proceeded as usual along the waterfront, except on the Union Company's Monowai and Kittawa, and on the case-oil steamer W'tnbledon. The local agents of the chartered steamer Kaipara had ordered men for eight o'clock. The men failed to put in an appearance, but the company had no difficulty in fulfilling requirements. Sailors and firemen turned out, and discharging operations wove carried out as usual. The Shaw, Savill, and Albion Company's Arawa was also left without labourers, but the permanent men took charge of the winches, and the cargo was unloaded with despatch. No labour was available for coaling tho Harbour Board's dredge Canterbury, but the. dredge hands filled the breach, and the work was completed without a hitch. The Union Company's permanent staff worked the mails, luggage, and cargo on board the .Maori, and little inconvenienco was felt. Later in the day the men paraded in Christchurch, and speeches were delivered in Latimer Square and in Victoria Square. QUIET PROCESSION AT TIM ARC. IBY TELEGRAPH.—PRESS ASSOCIATION.] TrjtARU, Saturday. About 40 waterside workers walked in procession to-day to demonstrate against the imprisonment of Waihi strikers. There was no interference with work, as there are no vessels in port. MASS MEETING AT WESTPORT. [BY telegraph.—press association.] Westport, Saturday. A mass meeting of miners, waterside workers, and others was held in Victoria Square this afternoon. Resolutions were carried, protesting against the imprisonment of Waihi strikers.