Expulsion From Union Challenged

Manawatu Times, Volume 60, Issue 135, 11 June 1935, Page 6

Expulsion From Union Challenged

FOURTH DAY OF HEARING Per Press Association. WELLINGTON, Last Night. Cross-examination of witnesses on

various aspects of the shipping dispute of July-August, 195-1, was continued in the Supreme Court in Wellington to-day, the fourth day of tho hearing of the case brought by Douglas Gibson who with others was expelled from th« Wellington Seamen’s Union. Gibson’s claim for an injunction overruling the union’s action and for £IOO damages is being heard by the Chief Justice. As a result of an observation previously made by his Honour “that it was possible that the union’s decisions which plaintiff was alleged to have disobeyed were themselves unlawful,” the general methods of tho union officials in the dispute wore among the matters examined.

The principal evidence was given by the president of the Wellington Union, Mr. F. P, Walsh, who said Gibson was expelled because ho was working to divide tho membership of the union. When there were attempts to get, an agreement with the shipowners ho did not agree with some of the officials. He wanted to break up the union at the expense of tho seamen. He went tu an underhand way to break down the de cision of the majority. This decision, which was made by four main centres, was that the seamen could hang on until things improved and then get the wage cuts restored. “This is a case, it seems to me, that will be decided one way or the other (at present I do not know which way) on fairly broad issues,” his Honour commented before calling an adjournment until to-morrow.