NO DISCRIMINATION

Evening Post, Volume CI, Issue 18, 21 January 1921, Page 7

NO DISCRIMINATION

INDUSTRIAL PROSECUTIONS

COMPLAINTS REPLIED TO.

Tho following letter has been sent by the Minister for Labour (Sir William Homes) to the secretary of the Federated Seamen's Union in roply to statements regarding alleged failure to proaecuto employers for breaches of the War Regulations:—

"In reply to your letters of the Btb Noyombor and 13th December laet, respecting the question of prosecuting employers and workers for alleged breaches of the War Regulations relating to seditious strikes and lock-outs, both your letters, and also a statement that appeared in the Wellington newspapers in Dooember, infer that while workers have been prosecuted under the War Regulations for talcing part in certain strikes, the Government has refrained from similarly prosecuting employers for alleged lock-outs. "If you will refer to my letter of tho 3rd November respecting your request that tho employers of wharf labour in Wellington 'be prosecuted for locking-out their men, you will se-e that I stated as follows:—'The opinion of the Crown Law Office wa^ that technically both the employers and the workers concerned might bo held to be liable for a breach of the War Regulations, but prosecution was' not recommended in view of the fact that tho regulations in force were passed expressly for the public safety during the present war. You will remember that the proceedings against,. the Seamen's Union were, instituted in 1917, whilst th© war was in progress. Under tho circumstances It has been decided to take no action against either the employers or the workers.'

"In regard to future cases, you are correct in your letter of the 13th December in pointing out that thq legislation, of last year has revived certain provisions that woro contained in the War Regulations, including those relating to' seditious strikes and lock-outs, and this being so it will be necessary to inquire into any allegation of a broach thereof, in order to too whether proceedings for any offence should bo taken. As in the past, no discrimination will bo shown by the Government between the workers and. tha employers."