TRADES UNION DISPUTE.

Auckland Star, Volume LIX, Issue 163, 12 July 1928, Page 8

TRADES UNION DISPUTE.

QUESTION OF JURISDICTION.

LONDON TRUST KKS' CLAIM

(By Telegraph — Press Association.) CIIRISTCHURCII, this day

A trade union case of gencial interest. in\olving the control of funds by trustees, was heard by the Supreme Court vesterdav.

Tin; general trustees of the Amalgamated Kngineering Union, all of IHi I'eekham Koad. London, were plaintiffs, and the defendants were I'obert Mot rick, Michael Augustus Flanagan, .lames Sttirrock. Edgar Francis Dixon, and T. K, (jrover, of <'hristchurch, engineers.

The statement of claim set out that in 1!>23 the defendants were trustees of the Christchurch lirancli of the union. I!v lUile 3 of the union the branch was required to forward to the general seer.tary of the union iii London returns and particulars, but they had neglected tod 1 so. Defendants had neglected to pay plaintiffs the sum of £217. which was in defendants' control. In If 123 plaintiffs asked for a declaration that a resolution by the branch of March 13, 1920, purporting to authorise defendants to retain moneys, was illegal and ultra, vires, and for an order directing defendants to deliver to plaintiffs all moneys, liooks and other property belonging to plaintiffs.

The defence was a denial of neglect to pay moneys and of liability to tie plaintiffs. It was asserted that no right of action existed, and that bodies purporting to be the New Zealand branches of the union were not branches. Ii it separate unregistered trades unions.

The Judge reserved his decision