TRADE UNION FUNDS.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 895, 15 August 1910, Page 7

TRADE UNION FUNDS.

AND. THEIR USE, IN POLITICS.

. |By Telesraph.-Speciitl Correspondent.), Aucliland, August 14. The cablo intimating that :tho Liver-, pool. Chancery Court baH granted an' injunction.against the use of the funds :d the 'Amalgamated Weavers' Association for Parliamentary purposes is interesting to New , Zealanders, as tho New Zealand trades unions are at present fighting against a curtailment of their, powers in this respect. Mr. W. S. Moxs'ain, secretary of last year's New Zealand Trades and Labour Jixec'utivo, ' told a reporter that the? first became aware of the Government's tactics when application, was' made for' tho registration of • the Federation of Labour,.. which has been in process of formation since tho 1909 conference. Ihe usual political clause was inserted among the aims ' and'object* of the federation, but they were met with a point-blank refusal of registration until this was reconsidered. This stand was taken (so tho Government said) upon the advice /of the Solicitor-General. . "The intention is," said Mr. Moxsom. "for the federation to embrace all trades unions' in New Zealand. At present there are many which do not como under any general organisation, and if we are to be prevented from using our machinery and legitimately-contributed funds to aid in securing political representation for our jparty . then the organisation will be of no' use to us." Other officials pinted out that tho registered.rules of several unions specified among- their objects the inauguration of schemes having for their object the benefiting of members morally, socially, politically, etc. The Government was,, therefore, attempting to withdraw a privilege that already existed.