The Shearers' Dispute.

Manawatu Standard, Volume XL, Issue 7780, 2 March 1904, Page 5

The Shearers' Dispute.

Contempt of a Royal Commission.

£Per Press Association—Copyright)

Sydney, March 1,

The Court to-day delivered its reserved judgment in the case in which witnesses were prosecuted for refusing to give evidence before a Eoyal Commission which was set up to inquire into the shearing dispute. In the first case the Court upheld the objection of counsel for defendants that the defendants Leahy (secretary of the Machine Shearers' Union) and Mair, not having been sworn, could not have been compelled to answer quesiious. The information in this case was, therefore, dismissed.

In the second case in which Leahy and Mair were charged with refusing to be sworn and six other witnesses with failing to attend to give evidence before the Commission, the Magistrate considered the evidence sufficient to justify convictions. Leahy and one other defendant was fined 20;?, or forty-eight hours' light labour, and Mair and five others £20, or seven days' light labour. With a view to givmg time to appeal, defendants were allowed till June 30th to pay the fines.