POWERS OF UNIONS.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXIX, Issue 1741, 16 October 1917, Page 3

POWERS OF UNIONS.

AN IMPORTNAT JUDGMENT. Judgment in a ease of some importance to industrial unions was delivered by Mr Justice Chapman in the Supreme Court on Saturday. The case was one brought upon an originating summons by the Ohinemuri Mines and Batteries Employees’ Industrial Union of Workers against the Registrar of Industrial Unions. The plaintiff union had sought to register a complete amendment of its rules, including two rules that provided for the payment of benfits to members who were injured by accident, or fo the relatives of members who are killed by accident. The registrar had refused to accept these rules, on the ground that they ■were outside the powers conferred by the Industrial Conciliation Act, 1908, and the plaintiff union proceeded by originating summons to obtain the ruling of the Supreme Court. The question was argued by Mr P. J. O’Regan (for the union) and Mr P. S. K. Macassey, of the Crown Law Office (for the registrar). His Honour gave judgment for the registrar, and stated that in the absence of express provision in the Act, the court must look upon the proposed rules as beyond the scope of the statute.