TRADES UNION.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXVIII, Issue 7971, 23 February 1906, Page 5

TRADES UNION.

THE TAFF VALE DECISION. REPORT OF KOYAL COMMISSION. Receved February 22, 7.43 a.m. LONDON. February 21. The majority report of the Royal Commission denies that workmen wore punished for merely peaceful picketing in trade disputes. It proposes to omit the watching and besetting subsection in section 7 of the Conspiracy and Protection of Property Act, of 1875, and to insert words making the essence of the offence a reasonable apprehension of violence. Four out of the five Commissioners thinks the law of conspiracy needs amending or clarifying. The majority advise increased facilities for incorporating trade unions, and recommend that the separation of their funds should be facilitated by statutory enactment. The ohairman and Mr Rohen consider that separation is proper and that it would benefit the funds, but must be accompanied by a condition that the funds separated are pot to be available for militant purposes. Sir G. Lushington and Sir W. T. Lewis dissent from the proposal that provident funds should be exempted from liability. Mr Sidney Webb considers that the out-of-work funds ought to be placed iu the same category as the benevolent funds. Sir G. Lushington and Sir W. T. Lewis strongly dissent from the view of the majority in regard to picketing and recommend stronger protection for the personal freedom of workmen. They also differ on several other points. The majority advise tuat strikes — apart from crime or breach of contract—should be legalised; also, that trades unions should be legalised.

CABLE NEWS.

By Telegraph—Press Association.—Cnovrieht,