LABOUR TYRANNY.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXV, Issue 1110, 17 June 1913, Page 4

LABOUR TYRANNY.

EXTRAORDINARY CASES

MEN WHO WORKED TOO

HARD

Auckland, June 13

Mr Justice Edwards delivered judgment in a case brought against the Auckland Watersiders’ Union by two members who alleged that the Union officials had, by intimidation, prevented them from obtaining employment op the water front.

Plaintiffs were Joel Smith and James Miller, and. the defendant was James Collet, secretary of the Union. '

Plaintiffs claimed and damages respectively, and an injunction against the Union, which was not incorporated or registered under any law. His Honour said the plaintiffs were employed on the Maheno. Because no less than eleven of the chosen gang failed to tutu up certain members of the Uniomtook exception to the extra industry shown by the plaintiffs, and at a meeting, in the absence of .the plaintiffs, and without evidence, they fined Smith and Miller the amount earned by them on the Maheno.

Such a proceeding was void, as being contrary to natural justice. The evidence was held to prove that both the plaintiffs had been excluded from the watersiders’ wailing room and regarded as nonmembers.

Both men,. owing to preference being given to unionists, had been unable to obtain employment as waterside workers. His Honour found that the Union, without any colour of right or authority, had penalised the plaintiffs, who bad not done anything of which the strictest unionist should disapprove. Defendant without a scintilla of right gave the employers of waterside workers notice that the plaiutiffs had ceased to be members of the Union with the object of precluding the employers from employing such persons. And upon this notice the employers were bound to act. His Honour assessed Millet’s damages at ,£55, and those of Smith, whose case was more serious, at