THE WAIHI STRIKE.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIV, Issue 299, 14 June 1912, Page 5

THE WAIHI STRIKE.

A LEVY REFUSED. • By Telegraph—Press Association. J Auckland, Thursday. The tramway employees' ballot result- | ed in 220 votes agunst 197 in favor of la levy of two shillings per week Wo<. J assist the miners on strike. THE STRIKE FUND. A LEGAL OPINION. ■Wellington, Last Night. Mr. J. Glover, secretary of the New Zealand Federation of Labor, to-dav received the following legal opinion from _ Mr. P. -T. O'Regan, attorney to the ' Federation: "In answer to your inquiry i this morning, I may say that I have noticed in the newspapers that certain unions who are bound by awards have, demurred to making a lew for the relief of the men at Waihi on the around that, being bound by the Arbitration Act. they would be guilty of an offence jif they did so. I notice this opinion ex- | pressed rather emphatically quite re- ■ eently in one of the Wellington newspapers, the Auckland correspondent of I which regretted that a 'strong Gov- ! eminent' was not in office to punish the I j men who have 'broken the law' at \ Waihi. Tliis is quite in accord with | the standard of accuracy observed by the great majority of the newspapers [ where the actions of working men are lin issue. The legal position is quite ' 'plain: A strike is unlawful only when ', the striker? are bound by'an industrial award —(hat is to say, when they are members of an industrial union, and , consequently under the jurisdiction of i the Court of Arbitration. The Waihi | miners are not under the jurisdiction of the Court of Arbitration, and hence f their strike is not an unlawful strike. I j Consequently it is not an offence for any j unions, whether bound by an award of | | the court or not, to donate funds for j I the relief of the men on strike. i :■ - I