NOT DEFUNCT.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXV, Issue 16567, 3 June 1914, Page 3

NOT DEFUNCT.

ARBITRATION UNIONS DENY DEFAULT. A ratlior alarming message was received from Wellington on Saturday to the effect that twenty-three unions registered under the Conciliation And Arbitration Act had * defaulted," and that the registrar had' given notice under Section 22 of tho principal Act of his intention to cancel the registration of these unions. Four of the workers' unions concerned belonged to Canterbury, and inquiries made yesterday by a reporter showed that three, at least, of tho four had received no notico from the registrar, had punctually I*lll in the returns demanded by tho Department of Labour, and had not the slightest desire to allow their registration to be cancelled. The Christchurch Journalists' Union has already published an emphatic disclaimer and an assurance has been received from the Christchurch Hairdressers' Union that it has forwarded its* returns and has received no notice of tho registrar's intention to cancel its registration. Tlie Canterbury Metal "Workers' Union also denies tlie implication contained in the Wellington message,, but adds an explanation of how an error may have occurred in its case. The Union is meditating amalgamation with the Ohristchurcn Amalgamated Society of Engineers and the Range Makers' Union, and notice has been given to the registrar of this intention, such notice being tantamount under Section 20, to an application to cancel registration. Even in this case, however, the registrar has no warrant to cancel registration under Section 22, as the Union is not defunct, and is merely moving for amalgamation with a larger organisation. The secretary of the Christchurch Operative Butchers' Uniou states that lie forwarded his returns to the Registrar in January, and that their receipt has not been acknowledged. The secretary also wrote to the Registrar, but did not receive a reply. He has received no notico of cancellation. He states that other secretaries of Christchurch Unions have been treated in the same way.