ARBITRATION COURT.

Rangitikei Advocate and Manawatu Argus, Volume XXXIII, Issue 9112, 3 April 1908, Page 5

ARBITRATION COURT.

SECOND EDITION.

AN EMPLOYER IMPRISONED. ~ Press Association. Auckland, April 2. A largely attended public -meeting was held in the Drury Hall on April Ist, to express sympathy with Mr Dixon, jwho has been committed to Mount Eden gaol for two months for disobeying an order of the Magistrate’s Court, arising from an Arbitration Court award, also to express indignation that a freeborn ciitzen of the British Empire, and of the Dominion of New Zealand, should be hauled off to prison for such a a cause. It seems that last May Mr Dixon was cited before the Court for employing a journeyman at under rate wages. The man was allowed to give evidence upon oath, while Mr Dixon, the employer, although he requested to be sworn, was not allowed to give evidence, though he says he had a good defence. He was fined £5, which was paid. The man was fined 10s. The man sued and got judgment -for £3l back wages, which Mr Dixon refuses to pay, hence his imprisonment. The meeting appointed Mr J. Flannagan to see a solicitor in order that some proceedings may be taken to procure Mr Dixon’s release, and if possible re-open the case. Another meeting will be held on Saturday evening.

At Palmerston yesterday the Court dismissed a case in which Joseph Rose was charged with a breach of the award in dismissing a man who objected to the price of flax cutting being reduced from 6s to 5s per ton. A similar charge against the Manawatu Fibre Company was also dismissed. Judgment was reserved in a number of cases relating to the charge of 15s instead of 14s for board of flaxmill employees. On the application of both parties Mr Justice Sim made an order making the agreement arrived at in ’’'the shearers’ dispute into an award. Mr E. D. Hoben made application for re-opening of the Wellintgon Typographical award in regard to the hours of Simplex operators. The Wellington Typographical Union opposed the application, and the Court refused to to re-open the award.