THE WAIHI STRIKE.

Colonist, Volume LIV, Issue 13419, 17 May 1912, Page 5

THE WAIHI STRIKE.

TOWN IN SERIOUS PLIGHT,

APPEAL TO THE GOVERNMENT

Waihi, May 16. The town is quiet. A special mee-tinjj of the Borough Council was held yesterday afternoon to- consider the Borough \ position regarding the strike. The Mayor said that if tho strike continues he did not see how tho Council could carry on in the mattor of ways and means.

The Town Clerk said he understood a. bank was willing to £h).>r,<x' trie sanitary and ga<; services if reduced to the barest necessities.

The general opinion of councillors was that tho strike would last some tinio. It was decided that all maintenance? and formation hands be discharged, including tho foreman and all the gasworks hands, except those ;J7w>!utely necessary; all carters. nton--workers, md cooperative contraciv')/.' ;>;> put off, tns sanitary service t;> bo rivi-aiiicd, and. also the library to be e-xempt. It was decided that street lamps bo put out at 11 p.m. to con-servo the gas. It has becsn reported that the warehouses have decided to restrict credit tn Waihi tradesmen.

The latter demand cash over the counter for all good;;, it is understood that tho matter of the strike is now practicaJly in the hands of tho Federation of liabour. it is quite on the papers that all unions under the Federation will be implicated. The Borough cannot continue payments to the* hospital. An appeal will bo made to tho. Government for help, "lie hospital is full. The union is preventing tie carriage of material to both mines and ba.tteiries..? Pickets are prevailing on the carters'to stop. The Grand Junction Company has machinery at tho station, but is unable to remove it. The 6triko is conducted in an orderly; manner. Frequent meetings of tha union officials ar<* being held.