LABOUR MEMBERS' SALARIES.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 904, 25 August 1910, Page 7

LABOUR MEMBERS' SALARIES.

THE OSBORNE JUDGMENT. NEWSPAPERS RECALL TAFF VALE CASE. LACK OF UNANIMITY ALLEGED By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright. (R«c. August 24, 9.55 p.m.) London, August 24. The decision of the Labour party to stump the country in protest against tho Osborne judgment has called forth much comment from the newspapers. The "Manchester . Guardian" (Liberal) declares that there is no unanimity in trades union circles in condemnation of tho Osborne- judgment, such as th'ero was when .the House of Lords gave its decision in tho Taff Vale caso of 1901, that a trades union 1 could be sued for wrongful acts done by its agents. The ''.Guardian" urges constitutional objections against the 1 demand for tho revorsal of tho judg-. nient, and favours the payment of members of Parliament by tho State. The "Yorkshire Post" (Conserva- ! tive) recalls the refusal of the Labour 1 members of the House of Commons to ; allow the United Irish League to be classed with the trades unions during . the discussion on the Trades Disputes , Bili of 1906. " ' ' The "Westminster Gazette" (Lib- ' eral) says the most formidable objec-. I tiori to the reversal of the Osborne j judgment is. the fact that tho levies i are made'to support a pledge-bound ' party which is outside tho. control of 1 tho members of tho trades unions. It , considers that the payment of mem- '. bers and their election expenses by t means of voluntary levies would fairly ■ solvo the position. . ■ The "Daily News" (Liberal) -says J that most Liberals will endorse Colonel i Seely's statement that something must T Bo done to alter the; Osborne decision. • The Taff A r alo case referred to above was an action in which ,tho Taff Valo Railway Company sued the Amalgamated Society of Engineers, a registered trade [ ,union, and its officers, for having con- ; spired to induce their workmen to break ■ their contracts, and also-for haviuft conspired to interfere with the traffic of tho company by picketing and other unlawful means. The case; was .taken to ' the House of Lords, where it was decided " 'in 1901 that a, registered trade union could be sued in its name in respect of '•' wrongful acts done by its agents with' its 1 authority: as a result, the Taff Vale got a verdict for damages which, by agree- '. uient, were fixed at £23,000. The trade . union paid this sum out of its funds. I As every strike would cause'damage trade j union funds would bo liable to be called j upon to pay. The Trades Dispute Bill : of 1906, also referred to above, was introduced to.givo immunity to trades union. ' funds. ' .••'■' . ■