IN FOR A TROUBLED TIME.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume LXVI, Issue 11878, 14 January 1914, Page 5

IN FOR A TROUBLED TIME.

HIGH AND MIGHTY ATTITUDE

OPINION OF "MATABELE" WIL SON.

(Received Wednesday, at 9.35 a.m.) MELBOURNE, Wednesday. Colonel Wilson, better known as "Matabele" Wilson, organiser of the Kitchener's Fighting Scouts, is visiting Melbourne.

In an interview, he said if the South African strike continues the whole 300,----000 natives employed in the mines will have to be sent back to the kraals, and that will mean the cessation of the whole mining industry. It would be months, if not years, before the mines would again be worked. The cost would ruu into millions. During the last strike there was talk of bringing In the burghers, but it was felt this tho situation now was so serious that racial feeling involved. Apparently this consideration was outweighed.

"If it comes to a conflict between the burghers and strikers." said Mr Wilson, "tho former will not hold their hands like the Imperial troops, aud the casualty list, will be considerably larger." The strikers include all nationalities, and their organisation is wonderful. A dangerous feature w.s the huge quantity of gelignite and dy namite available to the men who understood its use.

He attributed the discontent to the high and mighty attitude adopted by the big mining houses, who failed to realise that times had changed, and men cannot be driven by the old methods. The men had had grievances for years with respect to conditions of work, hours and wages. Last year's trouble could have been settled by a little tact on the part of the mire authorities, but they adopted a hiirh handed attitude, and after the settlement many of the men openly complaino-l that their leaders had been bought. The dissatisfaction had spread because the Government allegedly failed to carry out its settlement pledges.

Mr Wilson added that the Government paid the strike-breakers £50,000 for the loss of their jobs.-

The election of Mr Poutsma, to the secretaryship of the Railway Society, was significant with what had now ensued. Tho country was in for a troubled time.