“PREPARED EVEN FOR THE GALLOWS!”

Gisborne Times, Volume XXXIII, Issue 3635, 23 September 1912, Page 5

“PREPARED EVEN FOR THE GALLOWS!”

A FEDERATION IST RALLY AT AUCKLAND.

MESSRS SEMPLE AND GO. TALK LOUDLY ANO DEFIANTLY.

MAGISTRATE AT WAIHI ABUSED

POLICE SAID TO BE AFRAID OF THE WOMENFOLK.

By Telegraph—Special Correspondent AUCKLAND, Sept. 22. A mass meeting held at the Grey Statue this afternoon was not remarkable for anything of ,an exciting nature. The crowd numbered about six thousand and the bulk of them were merely spectators. The Federation leaders drove up in two brakes, and speeches were delivered from both simultaneously. Air Savage, who presided at Grey Statue, denounced the gaoling of “innocent men” and endeavored to convey tho conviction that the gatoq, of "the gaol ore long would bo thrown open and his comrades liberated. Air Howard, of Christchurch, said that when, the Waihi and- Reefton trouble began lie was one of those Eedorationists who'did not favor a general srike, but he was in the minority. He now saw that he had been wrong, and those wlm had approved of a general strike at the timo were right, because all the forces of wealth were prepared for a conflict, and the Federation would probably have gone down and out, because tho great bulk of the people of New Zealand did not understand what the men on striko were fighting over. Now things wore on a. hotter footing. There, was no doubt about the justice of their demand for the release from gaol of men who had done nothing unlawful. Now they must have the great- bulk of the workers of New Zealand bo- j hind them, and the time had come to make their power felt. Air Duncan, an official of the Waikato Alinors’ Union, assured .the crowd that it was in the power of organised labor to deal such a blow to the plutocrats that tliov never would recover.

Air Smith, who has come into prominence through having acted as “counsel” for the accused strikers after Air Parry had been taken off to gaol, had some very hard things to say concerning the polite methods at AYaihi, and abused the Magistrate in unmeasured terms. The men remaining on strike at Waihi were, ho asserted, more determined than over, and the women as well. The police wore going to have trouble- with the 'women. He spoke of the procession of the previous night, when a large number of Federationists gathered in Queen Street and marched past the gaol to cheer their comrades in durance vile. He omitted to mention that the band which was to have headed tho procession did not put in an appearance. There appears to have been some difficulty in securing the services of a band. However, as Air Smith said, they cheered their comrades and he received a message from those heroic fellows.

“Toll the people of Auckland,” so ran the message, “that wo are quite happy and contented in Mt. Eden Gaol, and are determined to stav here until our time is up.”

By‘way of peroration, Mr Smith loudly declaimed that the time was past- for idle talk. The men on strike had to be kept. Their women and children had to bo fed, and unless other workers were prepared to get them something to eat. talk might as well ccaso,

Next on tho list of speakers was Mrs Leech, the wife of one of the strikers, who declared that she was present at the request of tho women of Waihi. They were doing their share of the fighting, and chiefly they wore successful in dealing with tho. policemen. They wore making the policemen ashamed of themselves, and she appealed to women generally not to go near policemen. At Mr Leech’s request, cheers were- given for the men on strike, and these were followed by <'heers for their wives. Mrs Leech’s speech certainly made an impression, and it was a good timo to send the plate around—by the way, it was a toy bucket, and the contributions appeared to be fairlv generous. Mr Scott Bennett Called upon all workers to protest against the iniquity of gaoling “innocent men” and assured his fellow men that the Fedcrationists wore as solid as ever they wore.

Mr Semple’s speech was mado under the depressing influence of a shower of rain, but he loudly announced that the Waihi men would never give in'. “They would go to gaol. They would go to the gallows if necessary. They would face the bludgeons of the policemen. . Aye, the bavonets if need be.”

Mr Canliam, representing the Waterside Workers, moved a resolution demanding the immediate release of the strikers now in gaol, and pledging those who voted for the motion to “act in whatever manner might be deemed advisable.” A man in the waggoncmfwsyhrdlii A man in the crowd mounted the waggon with an amendment “That the wheels of industry cease to revolve on Monday morning,” but Messrs Canliam and Semple objected. It was for file Federation to say when it was time to call a general strike. They were not going to be bluffed into precipitate action, so the amendment was rejected and the motion was carried on a show of hands, which was declared to he “very satisfactory indeed” and the mooting dispersed. It had been very orderly indeed.

A SYMPATHETIC MEETING AT TIMARU.

[PER PRESS ASSOCIATION.] TIMARU, Sept. 22,

Three t-o four hundred attended an open air meeting this afternoon at which two waterside workers spoke on the aims of the Federation of Labor and the causes of the Waihi strike from the Federation view point. A. resolution of protest against gaoling and demand for the release of the prisoners was put and carried, about one hundred voting for and very few contra. An amendment declining an expression of opinion was not seconded.