THE WAIHI STRIKE.

Otago Witness, Issue 3100, 13 August 1913, Page 5

THE WAIHI STRIKE.

POLICE BEHAVIOUR. COMMENDED. (From Our Own Correspondent.)

WELLINGTON, August 5,

Commissioner Cullen, in the police report presented to Parliament to-day, makes some references to the’strike at Waihi last year. ' “During the year,” he says, a strike took place among the men employed in the gold-mining industry at Waihi and Waikfno, which necessitated over 80 members of the police force being drafted there from various parts of the dominion to protect life and property and keep order as between the strikers and free labourers who came to fill the places vacated by the former. The police, during the five or six months they were on special duty at Waihi. had to ‘perform very harassing duty, and wore subjected to gross insults and abuse from the strikers and then women folk : yet notwithstanding the irksome duties tl'ie men had to perform and the abuse and insults levelled at them, not a solitary case of misconduct was reported against any member of the force. 'I ho tact and forebearance exercised by the police enabled them at all times to maintain a complete mastery of the situation at Waihi, and I have no hesitation in stating that they proved themselves to be a" body of men that the dominion should be proud of. “ Owing to a strike having occurred among tlie coal miners at Hnntly a detachment of police had to be sent there also for a few weeks, but as very little disturbance took place and the men re turned to work, tho police were soon withdrawn.”

FEDERATION OF LABOUR EXPENSES.

WELLINGTON, August 6

The Federation of Labour balance sheet in connection ‘with the Waihi strike shows that the total money received was £35 065, Australia contributing £9492. A total of £28,965 was paid out in strike pay. The administration expenses amounted to £2755 19s. The balance of the contributions' (£4244 14s) has been transferred to the federation’s general fund. The New Zealand affiliated unions contributed £24,510 15s, and the unafliliated unions £1963. The strike pay distributed included £22,770 at Waihi and £4BIB at Inangalma.