RIVAL SEAMEN'S UNIONS

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIV, Issue 19607, 8 April 1927, Page 13

RIVAL SEAMEN'S UNIONS

ACTION FOR DAMAGES. ALLEGATIONS OF THREATS. UNEMPLOYED SEAMAN'S CLAIM. [BY TELEGRAPH. —OWN CORRESPONDENT.! WELLINGTON. Thursday. The case in which James Brennan, a seaman, claims £SO damages from Fintan Patrick Walsh, seaman, of Wellington, Felix Newfield, seaman, of Lyttelton, and the Wellington Federated Seamen's Union, alleging that he has been wrongfully prevented from procuring employment by the defendants' threats against his prospective employers, was continued before Mr. J. H. Salmon, S.'M., to-day. Mr. I). R. Hoggard appeared for the plaintiff and Mf. E. P. Hay for the defendants. Mr. Hoggard said that at one time last year there were three local seamen's unions registered under the Arbitration Act, having their headquarters in Auckland, Wellington and Dunedin. There was also a registered federation comprising the three unions. Counsel detailed recent happenings in connection with the deregistration of these unions and of the federation. Last year, he said, the executive of the old federation made an agreement with the employers, having a term of two years and made expressly on behalf of a union bearing the same nam® as the plaintiff's union. On December 14 last application was made for the registration of the union to which plaintiff belonged, but the certificate was not given until January 27. A Stop-work Meeting. This delay, counsel said, gave Walsh his opportunity, and he gathered 21 friends and applied for registration. On January 25, two days before the other union's certificate was issued, .Walsh's application was granted on the same day that it was lodged. He had since maintained that his union was the true union and had done his best, counsel alleged, to stop members of the plaintiff's union from securing employment. James Grayling, an A.B. on the steamer Arahura, said that at a stopwork meeting on March 1 convened by Newfield, Walsh occupied the chair. One of the members asked what had, besn done in regard to members of the other union. Newfield was againist any drastic measures being taken in regard to the other union and was in favour of working quietly, while Walsh advocated examining all the union books. Witness said that a motion was carried to the effect than <&I1 men on the ships who were not in Walsh's union should be' removed. The chairman suggested that the resolution should not be placed on the minutes. Another motion that a week should elapse before the resolution was given effect to was Bequest to Change Over. In reply to Mr. Hay, witness said he was a member of plaintiff's union and Newfield had been down to his ship to ask him to change over. A Voice: You're a liar! The Magistrate: Anyone who uses expressions of that kind will be removed from the Court. I will have him committed for contempt of Court. Mr. Hay: Who was it who saw you about giving evidence ?—I was Bubpoeaned. But who saw you in the first place?— Mr. Young. The plaintiff detailed the conversations he had had with the chief officer of the Kaimai in regard to his being signed on the vessel. While he was in the Government shipping office on March 9 Newfield asked him if he was going to change over and he refused. Newfield then said that if the plaintiff was signed on the ship would be held up. Later in the day he met Newfield, Young and the mate. Young examined the plaintiff's book, remarking that it was clear to the end of the month. The mate replied that he was agreeable to signing Bren"nan on, but the company feared the ship would.be held up. "I was not signed on and I have been out of work ever since," said the plaintiff. " I am 62 years of age and I have a home to keep in the Old Countrf. Mr. Hay: What objection had yon to joining the movement to which the great bulk of the seamen belonged Becausa I paid my dues to the end of the month* Plaintiff said that men had been_ put ashore from the Cygnet an r l _ the Ngaio because they would not join Walsh's union. The case was further adjourned until to-morrow.