WHANGAPE ECHO.

Auckland Star, Volume LVII, Issue 110, 11 May 1926, Page 9

WHANGAPE ECHO.

INCITEMENT TO STRIKE.

PENALTY FOR UNION SECRETARY.

The trouble in the manning of the I steamer W 7 hangape at Auckland on! January 8 was recalled yesterday when Mr. E. C. Cutten, S.M., delivered reserved judgment in the case of the inspector of awards against T. Anderson. Defendant is the secretary of the Auckland Seamen's Union and was sued for the sum of £10, it being alleged that he incited or instigated a strike of the seamen of the Whaiigapc. "A seaman named Blackburn was fined by the Wellington Union for an alleged breach of the union rules. He denied the legality of the fine and refused to pay," said Mr. Cutten. "In Auckland defendant unsuccessfully tried to per- 1 suade Blackburn to pay the fine. De-' fendant said that Blackburn would not be allowed to go on any ship unless he paid the fine. At a stop-work meeting of seamen, a resolution was passed by 138 votes to 2, recommending that Blackburn should be allowed to have a ship until the matter in dispute was settled. Despite the resolution, defendant said that unless Blackburn paid the fine, he would hold up any ship he went on. On January 8 Blackburn got a job on the WTiangape. He went on board, but the rest of the crew Tefused duty and the ship was held up until he left it. There was no room for doubt that defendant acted in concert with the strikers, his part being to get them to agree with him that a strike was advisable and to induce them to strike. That is, he instigated a strike." Judgment was given for plaintiff for a penalty of £5.