FRACAS AT HUNTLY.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume LXVI, Issue 11880, 16 January 1914, Page 5

FRACAS AT HUNTLY.

UNION HALL TAKEN

FEDERATIONISTS ROUTED FROM

THE BUILDING

(By Telegraph. — Press Association.) AUhKLAND, Thursday.

Mr Dixon, president of the new Hunt\y arbitration union, accompanied by about fifteen arbitrationists, entered the Coal Miners' Union office at Huntly to-day, and formally took possession of it. Mr Wood, president of the old union, and a few ex-strikers were in the office at the time, and a collision between the two forces occurred. Some of the ex-strikere, who were out-number-ed, escaped through a window; another man fell out on to the street; and another was either pushed or knocked down. Tho prompt arrival of tho police stopped the fracas, and although a large and excited crowd quickly gathered there was no further trouble. Mr Wood refused to leave till given possession of the union's books and papers, when he quietly departed. The office was built by the old Arbitration Union in 1912, and passed into the possession of the late union when the latter (consisting largely of the federation element) overwhelmed and took possession of the arbitration union. It has now come again under tho control of arbitrationists in the persons of the new arbitration unionists. Examination of candidates for membership of the new union is now completed. Two hundred men were accepted, seventy-one rejected, and seventeen held over. Many of the rejected men are leaving the town, and considerable bitterness is evident among those remaining. One mine is now almost fully staffed, and the other is expected to commence operations about Monday next.