WOOLLEN MILL STRIKE

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2871, 8 September 1916, Page 7

WOOLLEN MILL STRIKE

SECRETARY IN COURT

DECISION RESERVED

The further hearing of the case in connection with the Woollen Mills strike was . heard bv Mr. W. G. Ilitldell, S.M., in the Magistrate's Court yesterday. Tho Inspector of Awards (Mr. H. E. Moston) proceeded against Edward Kennedy, secretary of the I'etone Woollen .Mills Workers' Union, to recover a penalty of £200 for an alleged offence under Section G of the Industrial Conciliation and Arbitration Act, in that in the months of February and March, 1916, he did instigate, certain workers employed by the Wellington Woollen Manufacturing Company, Ltd., to become parties to an unlawful strike, the said workers being bound at the commencement of tho strike by an award of the Court of Arbitration. Mr. P. S. K. Macassey, of the Crown Law • Oflice, appeared for the Labour Department, .and Mr. T. M. Wilford represented tho defendant. Mr. Macassey reminded tho Court of the evidence already heard, and quoted authorities to show what constituted aiding and abetting. He contended that it had been proved that Kennedy had distributed certain circulars at tho mill, and tho fact that Kennedy had distributed the circulars calling upon the employees to discontinue work proved that his action was that of aiding a strike. Mr. Wilford, for the defendant, maintained that plajntifF having failed to prove aiding as defined by the Act, should be nonsuited. He quoted tho ease of the Blackball Miners' Union, in which the secretary and assistant-sec-retary were regarded as members ol' the union, and as among those liable for a fine of £fa> imposed upon tho union, in tho present case tho Mill Workers' Union had already been fined £50, and Kennedy, as'a member of the union, would be liable'in the event of the unitm not paying the amount, for his proportion, but not exceeding £10. Ho maintained that-Kennedy acted as a mediator. Edward Kennedy said ho was secretary of tho Petone Woollen Workers' Union. He denied the statement of the Inspector of Awards that he (witness) handed, the circulars to f the members of tho union at the mill: Ho pared the circulars under instructions from tho union; and had no right of initiative in the matter. He was merely an executive officer and the only one authorised to prepare such circulars. Letters were sent by witness under instructions from the union to tho secretary of the Woollen Com-' pany regarding an increaso in wages. Mr. Macassey: Did you prepare any circulars for tho purpose of this strike ? Witness: No; not for the purppse of a strike. ~ Further witness denied stating in evidence at the hearing of tho caso against the union,.that ho distributed circulars at the mill. Mr. Macassey: 1 will ask His Worship to refer to his notes on the case. li answer to Mr. Macassey witness said ho did not remember any meeting at which the union decided to strike. He did not know that it was ever decided at a meeting to discontinue work. Mr. Macassey:'Do you swear thatp Witness: There never was such a meeting. Mr. Macassey: Was there a meeting at which it was dccided to give notice!' Witness: Yes. . . ,His Worship: You are a very good fencer. , Witness: I don't.-know what you mean.

His Worship: A man of your intelligence ought to know what it means.

Witness, continuing, said ho did not threaten to drop the union if it did not go on with its demands. He could not remember whether the president of the union expressed satisfaction at that meeting that the union had not accept ed a 5 per cent, increase. Asked if ho kopt the minutes of that meeting, witness stated that ho kept no minutes of any meeting of the union. Ho denied making a statement to a newspaper reporter that should a settlement not .be arrived at the workers would abide by their determination to Quit work. He also denied'taking any very prominent part in tho strike.

At this stage the at tho request of Sir. Macassey,- referred to his_ notes on the case against the union. These showed that witness then stated that he-kept minutes of tho meetings. Mr. Macassey: Do you now say you kept no minutes? * '

Witness: I kept no minute look. The minutes were kept on scraps of paper which I destroyed. His Worship: It does not matter whether the minutes were in a hook or on a scrap of paper.' You insult the intelligence of the Bench. If you are not careful I will rule out the whole of your evidence. . Turning to Mr. Macassey he said: "You need not ask the witness any moro questions." Mr. Wilford re-examined witness as to the delivery of the circulars which the latter maintained were not delivered to the members by him. This concludcd the case and .the Magistrate reserved his decision.