INCITING A SEDITIOUS STRIKE

Southland Times, Issue 17918, 25 April 1917, Page 7

INCITING A SEDITIOUS STRIKE

COLEMAN' CONVICTED,

REMANDED FOR SENTENCE.

Alfred William Coleman was charged before Mr J. R. Bartholomew, S.M., in the Dunedin Police Court, on Monday, that on' April 16 he incited a seditious strike, contrary to the War Regulations; 1917. Mr W. C. MacGregor, K.C., appeared to prosecute. The accused plead'-' ed not guilty. Mr MacGregor stated that under the War Regulations a seditious strike was declared to mean anything that, was intended or had a tendency to interfere with the output or supply of coal. On Monday week the police in Dunedin became aware that accused, who, had recently come from Runanga, on "the West Coast, where a strike had been in existence for some weeks, intended to hold a meeting in the Green . Island district, where there was a union of coal miners. On the evening in question Constable W r ootten (the local constable) and De-tective-sergeant Kemp went to Fairfield, where they saw accused and four other men enter the local schoolhouse. Accused addressed them, and as a result of what he said he was arrested. The detective took the names of the four men who were in the hall. They were William McAllen, William Allan, William Hollowcs, and David McNeill. They were all miners, but it was fair to say that they did not appear in any way to be in favour of a strike. In fact, from the language used by one of them he did not think there was any likelihood of a strike resulting from accused’s efforts. He told them since that he was there to get the coal miners of Otago to strike, and that he was the accredited representative of the miners on the West Coast.

Detective-sergeant Kemp said the accused made the following statement, which witness reduced to writing:— “I wish to express to you the reason why the coal miners went out on strike. It was because the Government intended to employ in the mines Germans, Austrians, and Dalmatians —cheap labour. It was that fear that brought them out. My mission down here is to interview you men and get you to come out on strike. One has to be very careful what they say, qwing to the War Regulations. Fresh ones are being made every week. I went to Invercargill, and Detectivesergeant Cameron interviewed me, and said 1 had come to incite industrial strife. He advised me to go back,, but I am here to-night. I "kidded” to him. I had a very good meeting at Nightcaps. After I had interviewed the men it was decided they would leave it with the federation whether they came out or not, so that’s all right. I had to be very careful what I said, because I was warned some of the men would give me away to the police. I came on to Kaitangata, but there is no show' of a strike there. In fact, a man named Cairns said he could see what X was after, and moved that there be no strike. There is no show there. My mission is to interview you, and get you to come out on strike. The federation is greatly disorganised owing to the arrest of Semple and other leaders. There are only three left now. Two have gone north to interview' the miners in the North Island. A strike is no good unless it. lasts two months at least. The only way you can get anything out of the capitalist is to use the "boot” on him every time. 1 am a “shirker,” and I have three brothers who are "shirkers,” —and 1 don’t mind telling you. The leaders who were arrested on the West Coast were taken away from there. Had they been tried there, there would have been trouble. A mob of miners would have upset everything, but the police had too much sense to try them there. It’s a Huntly man that gave the show away. We have the waterside workers in Wellington with us, and the federation in Australia. We were promised their support to a man before we came out. I see Jimmy Allen and another Minister have gone down the coast. I don’t know what the result will be. We can do nothing by wire now. They won’t deliver them. It must bo done by letter or code. We can send code messages from the coast to Christchurch. The war will last for three years yet, and the longer it goes on the cheapcir labour will get. It’s a great pity Semple and the other leaders were locked up, but the war will not be over before they come out. I am the accredited representative of the miners on strike on the West Coast, and what action I take has been approved of by them and Mr Coppersmith, their representative.” Continuing, witness stated that one of the men at the meeting said to accused that so far as conscription was concerned the miners were very decided about it, especially those who had gone to the front and those who had relatives at home. He also said: "I might as well give you the of it. It would take very little for the Green Island Union to break away from the federation. We are losing 1/- a day by sticking to it, and wc know that all we have to do is to approach the bosses and we will get what he want.” Detective Kemp said he then went into the hall and arrested accused. From enquiries he had learnt that McNeill was, president of the Green Island Union and Hollowes the secretary. They gav» accused no encouragement In his mission. On the way to town in a motor

car he said to accused; “You would have been astwell to have taken Detective Cameron’k't advice.” He said: "We are fighting for a principle.” Witness said; “That may be, but you have no right to go round the country inciting men to strike when coal and food are required for the men at the front, who are fighting for your freedom and mine." He said: "We Socialists do not believe in war. It can be done without.” Witness replied; "Well, Germany is the home of Socialism, and she started the war and outraged Belgium and France.” He said he would like to talk again to witness and convince him that he was wrong. He told him he would require a lot of convincing on those lines. Accused then said; “Don’t be too rough on me.” Witness replied: "I have simply to state the facts.” He said: "I am just as well in gaol as what I’m at.” Witness took it from that that the job he was at was not too congenial. Accused told him that he was single, 34 years of age, and a native of Orange, Australia In his bag he found some literature. One was a book on "The Principles of Revolution,” by Joseph McCabe, and another was called “The House of Pride,” .by Jack London. He also found a receipt book in the bag. To Accused: He heard him say something about the local union, but could rot say what it was. He was not at the window all the time listening. He heard him say something about placing it before the federation when he returned to the West Coast. That referred to something he said about the local union. He heard him say that his mission was to explain why the miners off the West Coast came out on strike. The audience did not seem to see eye to eye with them. He was sure that he said he wanted to get them to come out on strike. Accused: Don’t you think it ridiculous for me to go and ask three men (one was not a miner) to come out on strike? Witness; I think it was ridiculous for you to go there at all. Y'ou said you did ■ not have a favourable ’meeting at Kaitangita. Y'ou said a man named Cairns moved at Kaitangata that there be no strike. Accused: That was ruled out of order by the chairman, who stated that there was nothing about a strike before the meeting. Cairns thought he was going to trap me by bringing that in. Don’t you think it would be ridiculous of me to try to get those men out on strike knowing their opinion?—l think the whole thing was ridiculous. Are you sure you have not made a mistake —I have made no mistake as to the 'statements made. You said that a man at Huntly gave the show away, and it appeared that you made that statement from something you had read in the papers. Did you hear me say that as the result of the visit of Sir James Allen and the Minister of Mines to the West Coast the strike was pretty well certain to be settled?— No. But I did not hear all you said. Did you hear what I said about the local union’s agreement,—No. Re-examined by Mr MacGregor witness said that accused twice said his mission was to . interview the men and get them to come out on strike. At the police station witness said to him; "That was a pretty thin tale you told them about getting Germans and Austrians to work the mine.” He replied: “Yes; you have to tell them something.” Constable Wootten said that the last witness was at one window and witness at another. He heard accused twice say that his mission was to interview the men and get them to come out on strike. Accused said certainly he did say things, but the witnesses had put a different construction on them. He was sent to interview the miners at Nightcaps, Kaitangata, and Green Island, When he came to Dunedin he did not intend to go to Green Island,* but he met the secretary of the Green Island miners, and he asked him to go there and explain the local agreement. He just went out and interviewed the committee. Then a general discussion took place. It, was ridiculous to say that he said his mission was to get them out on strike. He said his mission was to get assistance from them for the wives and children. It was impossible to get such a small body out on strike. It was a general conversation he had about the strike on the West Coast. He ex -plained that the employers, under the cloak of patriotism, were using the war regulations end the Military Service Act against the miners. To Mr MacGregor; He worked at the Runanga mine, and came out on strike. He approved of it, although he did not know what brought him out. His expenses were paid to come here and explain the reasons for the strike. He believed that the employers were using the Military Service Act to get cheap labour into the mines; but whether it was to be German or Austrian labour or anything else he did not know. It was true that he said he was a shirker. He did not mind telling them that. Mr MacGregor: You are rather proud of it, then?— Yes, 1 am. Mr MacGregor; Are you registered Yes; but I haven't got the registration. Mr MacGregor; Isn’t it a fact that you went to Nightcaps, Kaitangata and Green Island to get the men out on strike? — No; you aro absolutely wrong. Accused said he would not call any witnesses. Mr MacGregor: He has had every opportunity of calling witnesses. His Worship: I must take the case as conclusively proved. Accused will be convicted.

Mr MacGregor: We are making enquiries about accused’s antecedents, but they have not yet been completed. I ask for a remand for a week for those enquiries to be completed. His Worship: Yes; that will mean no hardship to accused. He will be remanded for a week.