THE TRADES UNIONS BILL.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XIII, Issue 170, 16 August 1878, Page 4

THE TRADES UNIONS BILL.

The Bill for the regulation nnd management of Tra-lcs Unions in New Zealand contains similar provisions to that cf the law in Grent Britaiu, with two additional ones which are of importencPi us they extend considerably the right of combination. These are tbe dec'aring (hat there shall he h power of combination, and the providing for the registration of traded unions B 3 friendly societies. Clause 2 ia as follows :— " The term ' trade union ' means any combination, whether tempornry or permanent, for regulating the relation between workmen and masteiß, or between workmen and workmen, or between masters ami musters, or for imposiDg restrictive conditions on any trade or business, whether such combinations would or would not, if this Act had not t)3en pnssed, be demaed to have been an unlawful combination by reason of somd one or more of its purposes being in restraint of trade. Provided that this Act shall not affect (1) any agreement between partners as to their business ; (2) any agreement between au employer and those employe — by him — as to such employment, any ogreeemont in consideration of the sale of the goodwill o( a business, or of instruction in any profession, trade or handicraft. A trade union, whether registered or not, and which insures and pays money on the death of a child under ten years of age, shall be deemed to be within the provision*) of section 29 of The Friendly Societies' Act, 1877. The following clauses provide that trades unions shall neither bo deemed criminal nor unlawful, and make other provisions as regards contracts. (3) The purposes of any trade union eholl not, by reason merely that they are merely in restraint of trade, be deemed unlawful, so as to render any member of Buch trade union liable lo criminal prosecution for conspiracy or otherwise. (4) The purposes of any trade union shall not, by reason merely that they are in restraint of trade, be unlawful, so as to render void or voidable any agreement or trust (o) Nothing in this Act shall enable any Court to entertain any legal proceedings inatiluied with the object of directly enforcing or recovering damages for tho breach of any of the following agreements, namely: —1. Any agreement between members of a Jrade union as such, concerning the conditiou of which any members for the lime being of such trade union shall or Bball not sell their goods, trausact business, employ or be employed. 2. Any agreement for the payment by auy person of any subscription or penalty to a trade union. 3. Any agreement for tho application of the funds of a trade union (a) to provide benefits to members or (b) to furnish contributions to auy employer or workman not a member of such trade union in consideration of such employer or workman actiog ia conformity with the rules or resolutions of such trade union, (c) to discharge any fine imposed upon any person byfsentenee of a Court of Justice or (4-) any agreement between one trade union and another, or (5) auy bond to secure the performance of any of the above mentioned agreements. But nothing in this section shall be deemed to constitute any of the abovementioned agreements unlawful. Clause 8 provides for the registration of trades unions, but provides that if any of the purposes of such trades unions shall be unlawful, the registration shall be void, The rest of the provisions are mainly technical, such as giving power to purchase or lease buildings for trades unions purposes that the property of trades unions shall vest in trustees, each of whom shall be subject to a limited responsibility, viz , to the extent of the moneys actually received by him. A person uuder sixteen years of age may be a member of trades unions unless provision is made to" the contrary, but shall not hold office as secretary or treasurer.