NEW DRIVERS'UNION.

Press, Volume XLIX, Issue 14839, 3 December 1913, Page 9

NEW DRIVERS'UNION.

REGISTRATION EFFECTED.

News was received in Christehurch yesterday afternoon that the now union formed amongst drivers in Christchurch —Tho Christchureh Horse and Commercial Motor Drivers' Industrial Union of" Workers—had been duly registered under the Industrial Conciliation and Arbitration Act. Tho certificate of registration will he received in. Christchurch to-day. Some misapprehension seems to exist, regarding tho provisions of tho Industrial Conciliation, and Arbitration Amendment Act of 1908 as they affect unions whose registration is suspended. Remarks made at the meeting of drivers on Monday night wore evidently intended to convey tho idea that the Court has power to suspend registration of the Drivers' Union. The point was brought tindei the notice of Mr F. Cooper, the secretary of the Canterbury Employers' Association,- who expressed the opinion that Section 9, which empowers theJCouii to suspend registration for a period-tip to two years, affects only special industries relating to the supply of gas, electricity, water, milk, moat, and-coal, and the working of ferry, tramway and railway services. Tho penalties provided in respect to parties to strikes relating to the industries mentioned are £25 in respect to individual workers, and £'500 in respect to employers'or t« unions. "The general strike of drivere doesnot come under this heading, , ! 11l Cooper continued, "only so far ac it relates to the special industries named. The position of the driveiis' etrike appears to be that, under common law, the drivers on strike have broken theircontracts of award and registration, and loft it open for another industrial union to take up the obligations. The Court has already laid it down thst unions cannot be both under the ' Act and outeido the Act at one and the same time."