BARRED BY LAW.

Oamaru Mail, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 10499, 6 July 1910, Page 1

BARRED BY LAW.

TRADE UNIONS AND POLITICAL ACTION. By Telegraph. (From Our Own Correspondent.) Wellington, July 5. A number of New Zealand trade unions have been obliged to expunge from their rules any provision for taking political action; otherwise their registration under the Conciliation and Arbitration Act would have been refused. The subject cropped up in the House of Representatives incidentally in a discussion upon a colonial award for shearers.

Mr T. E. Taylor, member for Christchurch North.' said the New Zealand Shearers' and Shed Hand Employees''.lndustrial ■Union ox Workers had been trying recently to have its rules registered, and registration was refused because there wore one or two sentences contained iu it which, permitted o'f the construction that the Union desired to undertake-political work as well as the ordinary concerns of the Union from the standpoint of wages and working conditions. Unless something was done to grant registration soon a lot of friction would occur between the sheep farmers and the shearers.

—Labor and Politics Inseparable. — Mr Arnold, Duncdin, pointed out that unless the Union was registered to make a federation they could not in a dispute, serve a Dominion award, though trade : unions were intended primarily to., secure good working conditions and wages. There had been a big change of opinion which resulted in the recognition that political action was necessary. -At the present moment there was not a trade union which did not discuss politics at its meetings: the things v.'cre so interwoven that they could net be separated. it had been discovered that as a result of an-English legal decision trade unions could not be registered in New Zealand if their rules made provision for political action. He hoped the Minister of Labor would amend the law because it was a matter of the greatest moment, for it was not desirable to bind New Zealand unions bv the law of England. 'Mr M'Laren (Wellington East) said that he considered the workers were bring trifled with. An amendment was absolutely necessary dealing with the powers of th'e Association. At present they had no powers,' and the position -r.-as that if the Association took an intelligent interest in affairs politically thev wqiilcl .not be accepted. Mr W. C. Buchanan said that tne point to be remembered was that the shearers had decided whatever thenaward might be they woidd have nothing to do with arbitration unless they got their demands. Mr Taylor: But they are not registered; they cannot get registration.

—Trade Unionism. — "What is the object of unionism." asked the Minister of Labor (the Hon. J. A. Millar): the-individual is not in a ■ condition to bargain ■ with the man of money and he cannot get a fair deal, and unions were formed for collective bargaining. The Minister went on to state that unions contained all shades of political opinions, and where preference operated it meant forcing a man to contribute to a political organisation with which he did not sympathise. Mr"M'Laren: I.want to know what the law is. . ...

The Minister: It is perfectly clear. Our advice is that under a decision of the House of Lords no unioii. can use its funds for political purposes. Mr M-'Lareh: Are these bodies registered, under the Trade Union Act? Mr Taylor: They are not under the English Act. The Minister: "We are governed by them if there is no specific * law v here. Mr Millar added that an' amending Conciliation aiid Arbitration Act would be brought down this session, and members would have an opportunity of moving amendments if they liked, but lie did not intend to move in -that direction; ' ' • :