SCOPE OF INDUSTRIAL UNIONS

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 837, 8 June 1910, Page 6

SCOPE OF INDUSTRIAL UNIONS

DOES IT INCLUDE POLITICS?

Ono of the burning questions in industrial circles just now relates to whether industrial unious of workers in New Zealand may use part of their funds for political purposes. Tho question arose lately, owing to the fact that the Shearers' Union desired to include provision among their rules to tlio effect that they might devote part of their receipts in furtherance of political aims. Upon tho matter having been referred to tho Crown Law Office, Mr. Tregcar, registrar of industrial unions of workers, was advised that the particular provision 111 question could not bo accepted. This decision was based on tho judgment in tho Osborne case at Home, that trades unions could not support by their funds political objects. Yesterday a reporter interviewed Mr. Trogear, with reference to an assertion by a correspondent "Lex," that if unions were so debarred, they could not legally support a political newspaper. In reply, Mr. Trogear said-.— "In regard to the decision as to an industrial union of workers being governed by tho precedent laid down in the Osborne caso in connection with ..English trades unions, the opinion is not mine, but that of the Solicitor-General. Whether an industrial union under trio Arbitration Act is governed by an Act passed for the regulation of trades unions proper I am not in a position to say, but should tho question arise at any time of registration or non-registration of all industrial union I must in cases of difficulty bo always governed by the legal opinion of tlio Crown law officers."