At almost the first union meeting I attended in Denniston, I unknowingly caused quite a sensation by suggesting to the gathering, since the company had refused to comply with a manifestly reasonable request for the adjustment of certain grievances, “that the members cease work until the matter is rectified.” I met looks of astonishment on every side. Did I not know that the Arbitration Act would not permit of such action? was demanded of me. “Well,” I replied, “if we ask that certain things be done and are refused, are we then to accept that decision as final?” By way of reply, I was informed that that was the position unless a breach of the award was committed.
From then on I became a rather hostile critic of compulsory arbitration, and, with others, carried on an agitation for cancellation of registration.
At this time the President of the Denniston Miners was Mr. John Foster, a man well advanced in years, entirely self-educated, with by no means a wide grasp of the Labour Movement, but possessing a full measure of shrewd common sense, and one who, in his day, under adverse circumstances, did the very best he could for those whom he represented. John had a remarkable influence among the miners of the West Coast, and as President of the Westland Trades and Labour Council attended the N.Z. Conferences of the Trades Councils, and was generally regarded as being the spokesmen for the miners’ unions.
He was a whole-hearted supporter of Arbitration. He could not conceive of unionism without Arbitration, and in this connection he reflected the outlook of every miners’ official on the West Coast at that time.
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