THE TRAMWAY STRIKE.

Auckland Star, Volume LII, Issue 57, 8 March 1921, Page 5

THE TRAMWAY STRIKE.

ENTIRELY UNJUSTIFIED. L*WK>N FINED £250. "The strike was entirely without justi i fication." declared Mr. .1. \Y. Poynton. S.M., in giving juderment yesterday after : noon at the Police Court in the action jof the Inspector of Awards against the ! Tramways Industrial t"nion of Workers. for inciting: an unlawful strike between June 3 and S. 1920. in which the tramway i men displayed an active sympathy in th» i jockeys' dispute. Judgment for the full I penalty claimed. £250, was given: Mr 'Hunt represented plaintiff and Mr. Siillij van the defendant union. Tn a. resume of the circumstances of the strike the judgment states that trouble bfd I occurred between three jockeys and their I employers and the dispute had nothing to ■do with the Auckland City Council. The I union members appeared to have sided j with the jockeys, and dnring the day j before the races in Auckland the Mayoj had been informed by the secretary of 'the union that race trams would not be ! likely to he run by members of the union jon the following day. The same evening. ithe secretary of the union, after an inter - I view with the president,. Tiad posted in j the Epsom and Ponsonby tram barns notices that all race trams would be I "'.) lack." The general manager, cm tbe morning of the races, had endeavoured Ito prevent, the threatened stoppage, and I had suggested that instead of tho sign ! '"races" on the cars. "Remnera" shonld be used. This appeared to have been a sort of compromise to save the men's feelings. The suggestion had been temporarily accepted, but other counsels had prevailed .and the cars bad heen returned to the barns. The result of the. refusal to run fch<I cars to the races had been a stoppage ;of all the trams in Auckland. Othor facte showed that the trouble had all i been brought about by the union, and in the opinion of the magistrate, the strike I was within the meaning of the Art. ilt had caused a loss of w:;-t"-= "f £1.5*5. lof fares to the coiig.il .if C 4.850. a-D'J ! much hardship to n;:i : .cr personi who had had to walk f • .-.1 from i.iei l " j work. In claiming ~;. n:ir fiv.irth "! . j the maximum amount. :hi' • ii'partment. . he thought, was acting ni'-ji moderation. Judgment for the amount rluinied with . costs, was therefore pntervil. On the application of. Mr. v ;i!livan, the , magistrate fixed the sei-.irit; , for appeal [ at the amount of judgm.-nt and half the l! costs.