PETONE WOOLLEN MILLS STRIKE.

Press, Volume LII, Issue 15606, 2 June 1916, Page 3

PETONE WOOLLEN MILLS STRIKE.

4. PENALTY against the union. (rr.ESS ASSOCIATION TELEGIIAH.) WELLINGTON, Jun e 1. Jlc.-orvpd iadj;mcnt 'was delivered in the Magistrate's Court to-day in tho ease of the Inspector of Awards v. the I'otonc Woollen Mills Industrial Union of Workers. Tho plaintiff claimed a;; penalty for an offence under the Industrial Conciliation and Arbitration Act, in that the defendant union, during February and March, instigated tho workers employed by the Wellington Woollen Company to become parties to an unlawful strike, the workers being bound by an award of the Arbitration Court. The Magistrate, Jlr W. G. Riddell, held that although notices were given t,o ceaso employment," a striko had been proved, on the grounds of collusion between the workers to ceaso work. The action of the men in leaving their employment in a body amounted to a strike within tho meaning of the Act. Further, as the majority of the members of the defendant union were parties to the strike, the defendant union must be deemed to have instigated it. Judgment was given for plaintiff for £50. Seeuritv for appeal was fixed.