ARBITRATION COURT.

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLI, Issue 8543, 25 March 1908, Page 5

ARBITRATION COURT.

ENFORCING AN AWARD,

Per Press Association.

NELSON, March 25.

At the Supreme Court yesterday, bofore liis Honor Mr Justice Chapman, the Inspector of Awards applied for an attachment order under section 101 of the Industrial Conciliation and Arbitration Act against Sydney Smith for failure to pay lines of £5 14s and £3 14s inflicted by .the Arbitration Court in July. The defence was that, defendant had not- received notice to attend the Arbitration Court, and his counsel raised the point whether the Arbitration Court under such circumstances had juiisdiction The Clerk of Awards gave evidence that notice to appear had boon served on defendant by registered letter His Honor said there was no direct proof of nonservice, and the proceedings had been formal and regular. Orders of attachment were made in each case, in default 21 day a' imprisonment, in the first case, and 14 days in the second. Time was allowed for payment. • AN IMPORTANT QUESTION. WELLINGTON, March 25. At the Arbitration Court to-day Mr Pryor. acting for the employers in the Pullers' dispute, asked the Court to refuse .to hear the case. The grounds of the application were that the Union only represented a small section of the employees at the local meat works. Mr Pryor' stated that if the Court agreed to make the award in the present case it would be possible to form no less than eight other unions in the fellmongery branch of the business, and if the same principle was applied right through eighteen unions, with eighteen separate awards, could be brought into operation. After discussion the Judge said the Court did not consider it would bo justified in refusing to hear the dispute. The dispute itself was not objected to by tho employers. "If we find the workers coming here piccemeal," his Honor added, " v.e will probably find it neccssary to refuse to make an award."