IMPRISONMENT FOR STRIKING.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 318, 3 October 1908, Page 7

IMPRISONMENT FOR STRIKING.

TROUBLE AHEAD. It seems that there will be trouble when the Arbitration Bill is again before the Council. The Hon. J. Rigg, after a closo scrutiny of the measure, as sent up to the " Lords," is indignant to find that imprisonment for striking is still in the Bill. It appeared to have been deleted by tho > Labour Bills Committee from Clauso 9, which provides special penalties for striking without duo notice in specified industries, such as the supply of milk, meat, light, etc., but Mr. Rigg points out that the fines under this clause, in its present form, aro payable "on summary conviction before a magistrate," and that this expression involves the alternative of imprisonmout under the 'Justices of the Peaco Act. Ho also objects to the other sections dealing with penalties for striking, inasmuch as a striker who refuses on principle to pay a fine imposed on him may, through the ordinary civil process for recovery of debt, bo imprisoned in the end for contompt of Court. "The Bill is full of imprisonment," said Mr. Rigg Ito a reporter, "and it seoms to me that tho promise made by Sir Joseph Ward in his speech at Kaitangata during the recess has been forgotten." When the Bill is before the Council in Committee, Mr. Rigg intends to move tho following new clause:—"Notwithstanding anj'thing in this or any other Act to the contrary, no worker, or other person on whom a penalty has been imposed under Section 5 of this Act, or who has been summarily convicted under Section 9 of this Act, shall he imprisoned merely by reason of his inability or refusal to pay. any penalty or fine imposed in accordance with, the profiling of tlio said sections,"