THE LABOUR DEPARTMENT AND THE BLACKBALL STRIKE.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXIX, Issue 70, 21 March 1908, Page 4

THE LABOUR DEPARTMENT AND THE BLACKBALL STRIKE.

TKESTCHANT REPLY TO A CIRCULAB. (By Telegraph.—Own Correspondent)WELLINGTON .this day. In an unusually outspoken article on the subject of the circular addressed ta the press of New Zealand by the Laboui Department, calling its attention to sec■tion > 123 of the "industrial Conciliation and" Arbitration Act, 1905," which provides for penalties in the event of articles "being published' on matters' before the courts of- Arbitration j)r;..Coßciliatipa Boards, which, arc. . calculated- .to- prejudicially affect the deeisions-to be.given, the "New Zealand Times" practically defies the Department, and challenges.it to do its worst. After quoting the circular, the "Times" goes on to say, ".Mr; Lomas does not say when the Labour Department made its 'discovery' that certain newspapers were barring the law, or who instructed him to 'draw our attention' to the matter,, but we want to tell him that if his Department imagines that its circular will have the effect of sealing our lips and preventing criticism of the strike promoters, wnom the labour Department has gone out of its way to propitiate and guard, he is very much mistaken. We have said, and we repeat, that the Labour Department has failed in its obvious duty to the in neglecting to prosecute the individuals responsible for perpetuating the Blackball strike. We have said, and we re-, peat, that the Labour Department has evinced weakness amounting to ineptitude, to use the mildest phrase, in neglecting to prosecute the Labour Unions and Trades and Labour Councils who have aided and abetted the strike. Wβ ■have said, and we repeat, .that if the employers and their unions and advocates had 1 shown the same contempt for the law as the trades unions have done, the Labour Department would not have beea so lenient and so discriminating as it has shown itself to be in its attitude towards those who have been adjudged responsible for the Blackball trouble."