BRIBERY OF WORKMEN

Evening Star, Issue 19045, 14 September 1925, Page 12

BRIBERY OF WORKMEN

OOMvIIRSIGN ON EARNINGS HALF-CROWN IN £. Wholesale bribery to obtain work was alleged in some astonishing .statements in Bow County Court (says a London paper). James IV. Price and William T. G. Goodman, riveters, sued Thomas Sheppard, of Plaistow, to recover £l6 ,17s, which they had paid to him at tho rate of 2s Gd in the £ on their earnings to obtain work at the docks. Price, in evidence, staled that every day for six months he was outside the gates of Milwall Docks trying to obtain work on tho repairing of the steamer Shropshire. Riveters lined up in a queue, and times without number the 'whole of that queue would be taken on I with thq exception of himself and Goodjinau. Ho questioned the head fireman, I and, on his advice, interviewed Shep- | part!, who intimated that if he liked to Ido as others did, and pay him 2s 6d for ! every £1 earned, he could have work. !As he had a wife and eight children, and Christmas was approaching, he agreed to do this, and was given employment. Sheppard came round on Saturday mornings and collected tho half-crowns ■ from eighty or ninety men, continued Price. After Christmas witness in--1 formed Sheppard that he would pay 1 him no more, and Sheppard replied: j “ Well, yon know' the consequences; I you will be sacked.” From that time ■onward witness had failed to obtain 1 work at tho yard, although he tried for months. Men were being sought throughout Poping for tho work, and wore oven obtained from as far away as Southampton. j Price added that Sheppard controlled Itho whole of the London river employment dow'ii to Southend, owing to his influence in the Foremen’s Association, which had their headquarters at Southend. At times Sheppard wanted a little ‘more money, and would tell Price to 1 book on for three days’ work in a ship j which he never wont near. Arthur Griffiths, a member of the j Boilermakers’ Union, related that he was on a committee of inquiry when Sheppard admitted that £44 liad been collected in one week on his behalf. Sheppard had claimed that the money [was used to level up wages.

Counsel for defendant submitted that the money, if paid in bribes, was not recoverable. It was monstruos, he suggested, for those men to pay these bribes for months and thou come to the court and ask for them back and pose as saints. Sheppard gave evidence denying that he had power to engage or dismiss anybody, ami asserted that ho had never heard of bribery at the docks. Judge Snugge, who was informed that Sheppard had been fined £5 by his trade union for accepting the payments, gave judgment in favor of Price ami Goodman lor the full amount claimed.