WORK AND WAGES.

Hawera Star, Volume XLVI, 8 April 1927, Page 6

WORK AND WAGES.

RIVAL UNIONS. CLAIM AGAINST EXTREMISTS. (by telegraph—press association.) WELLINGTON, April 7. A ease in which James Brennan claimed £56 damages from Walsh (Wellington). Nev,field (Lyttelton), and the Wellington Federated Seamen's Industrial Union, alleging that he had been wrongfully prevented from procuring employment by defendants’ threats against prospective employers, was continued to-day befoie Mr. Salmon, S.M. Mr. Hoggard gave the history of the two existing rival seamen’s unions. He j said that Walsh had been an unsuccessful candidate for the presidency of the old Wellington Union, and had a following among the extreme section. His views were not the views of the majority of the members of the unions. He had expressed views that were in favour of violence, whereas the great bulk of the seamen favoured constitutional methods. A delay in the registration of the • plaintiff’s union gave Walsh his opportunity. He gathered twenty-one friends and applied for registration on January l 25, two days before the other union’s certificate was issued. Walsh’s application was granted in lecord time. He had since maintained that his union was the true union, and had done his best to stop the members of plaintiff’s union from securing employment. Evidence is being taken. LOCAL BODY EMPLOYEES. AUCKLAND, April 7. About 2500 workers will benefit one penny an hour by the agreement at a meeting of the Conciliation Council to fix the wages paid by the city and suburban local bodies. The employers are now paying a halfpenny an hour in excess of the existing award, and will now pay another halfpenny. . i