HOUSEWIVES IN ARMS

Evening Star, Issue 25473, 2 May 1945, Page 4

HOUSEWIVES IN ARMS

PRIVATE PROSECUTION OF GAS STRIKERS SEQUEL TO GOVERNMENT CONDONATION (P.A.) AUCKLAND, May 1. The sequel to the latest gas workers' strike ,will be heard in the Magistrate's Court in the near future, when 53 employees of the Auckland Gas Company Ltd. will he charged with an offence under section 26 of the Police Offences Act, 1927. The informations were sworn before Mrs G. Benton, J.P., this morning by the president of the Auckland Housewives' Association, Mrs Manktelow, and summonses for 14 for the defendants were placed in the hands of the police this afternoon.. The cases have been arranged in groups to avoid the hold-up that would occur at the works if all the defendants were called on the same day. The first group of 14 cases will be dealt with at a special sitting of the court at 2.15 p.m. next Friday. Each defendant is being charged that, being a person employed by a company upon which there is imposed by statute the duty of supplying the city of Auckland with gas, he did combine or agree with a certain person and others to leave without due notico the employ of the company ,_ knowing that the effect of such combination or agreement might reasonably be expected to he that the inhabitants of Auckland would be for a period of time deprived wholly or to a great extent of their supply of gas. " Due notice " for the purpose of tho section means at least 14 days' notice in writing. Offenders are liable to a fine not exceeding £lO or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding one month. This action is stated to be the first of its kind taken in Auckland.