LOPSIDED LEGISLATION.

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2619, 15 November 1915, Page 8

LOPSIDED LEGISLATION.

Sir,—l would beg permission through the columns of your valuable paper to draw attention to the injustice inflicted on the public in General and to thb mercantile interests in particular, through tho maladministration of tho arbitration and conciliation laws. Ths original Act contains a clauso making it punishable by fine or imprisonment for any person or union causing, participating, aiding, or abetting any strike under given conditions. Yet; whilst the law as regards employers has been, rigidly enforced, this clause has repeatedly and constantly been ignored, the excuse being the difficulty of dealing with large bodies of men. If this is true and the difficulty insurmountable, then. Sir, it is an act of gross injustice to enforce tho penalties on tho one side and disregard them on the. other, and the Act should be amended or struck out from the statutes of our Dominion. I well remember the remark of a friend of mine, speaking of the difficulty of dealing with public bodies. He said: "They havo neither a body to kick nor a soul to curse." One readily recognises the difficulty of enforcing fines on a body like tho trades unions or of filling our gaols with strikers. But, Sir, I would ask is tliere any reason why a clauso should not he added to the Act which should disenfranchise'every person who is a member of such unions as violate tho law until such fine be paid? This apears to mo. reasonable and just, far moro than that the peace and wellbeing of tho people should be destroyed or disturbed bv tho action of a few irresixmsibla individuals.—l am, ote„ "-■ ■■ ■-' • • • ••JUSTICE,