BREACH OF AWARD.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LVIII, Issue 17964, 14 December 1921, Page 11

BREACH OF AWARD.

AN UNUSUAL CASE. EMPLOYER AND SECRETARY. [BY TELEGRAPH.—PIIESS ASSOCIATION.] WELLINGTON. Tuesday. A case of an unusual nature came before Mr. Riddoll, S.M.yat the Magistrate's Court to-day, when the inspector iof awards, Mr.' J. Jackson, sought to obtain a £10 penalty against Walter Stanton, of the firm of Stantonf Ltd/, for a breach of the motor mechanics award. The breach, it was alleged, consisted' in the defendant having refused to supply to. the secretary.of the union a list of workers in his employ who came within the scope of the award. • "" Mr. Jackson, in outlining the case, stated that on March 19 last the secretary of the union personally asked the defendant to give him a list of the names of the workers in his employ because ho wanted to ascertain whether or not they were members of the union. He was very discourteously received. The information was refused. Aboub a fortnight later the secretary wrote asking for information 1 but no reply was received, On October 24 the secretary personally.. handed Stanton a letter calling .upon defendant to" supply the names, but the I 'information had not yet been supplied. Walter Broomly, secretary of the union, said that the first, time he went to the defendant's workshop 'Stanton said, "If you go down there this morning I'll shoot you." Witness observed 'that he' did not want to be shot, but if he preferred defendant could refuse to give him-permis-sion to go. into -the workshop. Permission was refused. The defendant also said, that if he had his own way he would not employ a union man at all. Witness further gave evidence as to handing the defendant a, letter personally on October 2, requesting that the information as to names be supplied. The defendant stated that none of his employees belonged to the union. , They had informed him that they were unaware of its existence. Ho had no recollection of Broomly having called upon him. Certainly someone did interview him stating that he was secretary, of the union, but he produced no authority to that effect. No letter had been handed to him asking him to give the names of his employees. In reply to Mr. Jackson d- "endant stated that a copy of" the award was posted in his Workshop, but 'he had not read it. "I think there has been a breach of the award," remarked the magistrate. "It is the duty of fall persons bound by awards to make themselves aware of the contents /of \thbse awards." A penalty of £10 was. imposed. .