AFFAIRS AT WAIHI.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XXXIX, Issue 12927, 22 November 1912, Page 5

AFFAIRS AT WAIHI.

STATEMENT BY MINISTER OF

JUSTICE,

(Per Press I Association.) WELLINGTON, this day

The Hon. A. L. Herdman, Minister of Justice, made a reply last evening to a number-, of statements which have been made by members of the Federation of Labor and others and telegraphed throughout ■ the Dominion, in reference to the recent occurrences at Waihi. He said: "I know of rio reason for holding an inquiry. No definite charges have been made to me by the Federation, and until they have been formulated and until I am convinced that the complaints are founded upon fact, I cannot say whether it would be worth while allowing' one. I have no personal objection 'to an investigation, ■ except apon the • ground jjf waste of time and waste of money. Iri- the meantime, I know of nothing which Would justify the Government in acceding to the request which the Federation leaders ' made to the Prime Minister; After the inquest upon Evans had started, Mr O'Regan, the Federation . solicitor, requested me to have the inquiry held at Auckland instead of Waihi. He also took exception to Mr Wallnutt acting as coroner, and asked that someone else should act. Both requests were refused by me upon tv*& grounds: first that Waihi is the most convenient place for holding the inauest, most of the witfleM-Syive there ; and second, I believ&iftviat M*- Wallnutt is fan honest and eatable iri&n. Mr O'&egan made some general cbmplaints, arid these I have sent^eA ;to r the Commissioner of Police for aWppth. Beyond Mr. O'Regan's commuJfde&tibhß-I-jhave received no notice; <&6__ Hhfe FedMlion of any charge, eit__ji»dag&_hst the police or anyone else. S*_ts6Bi__g' t. -Opitatriission were appointed, what would they inquire about? I wifta" gladly Ahy. charges whichd-^e Federatun ma;y .care to put in -Iftt&fe. and white arid -o send 'ori toe me. ffifey, -should do this,' and thfeir charges 'li^ould'- karVe some fouridaticfn iri' truth. MQ-U-K acittr^lly happened' at' Waihi has beei^'iov distorted and so- •hidden' behind^- -eleud of perversion !S that an investigation might make matters clear, and ews-ble^ the' public .- 16 ; <>' distinguish 'the the*' trees,' but- beyond thiit itii^ouldj'iri ifty opinion, serve no good purpose.' ' The Federationrsts are angry WlthHhe police; this is but riatufal. Ivriever knew any body of mep who found $he .restriction^ of the law enifcarrassing -look with a friendly -eyS upon a police constable.- -Mr' Fraser sa^s that 1800 peoptei have been- driven out of>Waihi. This is nonsense. The people could have stayed if they had liked, and they would have been well protected- by the police had they remained. The men were either enticed away or had not the cohrage to stay. Letters may have been • written by Arbitrationists ordering pebple out of the town,- I know nothing of that excepting what I have read in the. papers.-- Mr Fraser also speaks about a reign of terror in Waihi. This is just as ridiculous as « other statements made by the Federationists. The reign of terror in Waihi came to an end when Mr Fraser and his fellow Federationists took their fleparture, and citizens are now living a peaceful civilised life. No one who goe^ tp Waihi to-day need have the slightest fear. * Every one will be well protected. When 'the.'Commissioner of Police went to Waihi he was instructed: (1) To see* that men who wanted Vto wdrk were T permitted to work without molestation, . and (2) to see that individuals and property were protected and that the law was obeyed. These instructions have been carried out.