The Oamaru Mail. WEDNESDAY, JULY 8, 1914.

Oamaru Mail, Volume XXXIX, Issue 12282, 8 July 1914, Page 4

The Oamaru Mail. WEDNESDAY, JULY 8, 1914.

Tli© Courts liavc paralysed those activi- , ties of the Labor Labor in movement which beTrouble. long to its more, recent -history. They ''have done so by practically declaring that everything pertaining to this more recent side is debarred from tli© help of "the Trades Union treasuries. Probably the Cabinet will be asked to take the to Parliament for consideration, . and (Labor will undoubtedly ask—at all events a, large proportion—for the amendment of the law in the direction of allowing th© Unions to do what they like with their own money. The Court lias declared that they cannot do so because the objects on which their own money can be spent are strictly defined' by the law which makes the collection of these moneys possible. The men will want the definition extended so as to permit iliem to do quite as they like with their o\vn. AVe have every sympathy with 'this very natural and proper desire of the men. All men should bo allowed to do as they please with their own. It is impossible to forget at the same time that there are among the ranks of Labor meu those why do not- agree with the' new activities. In this light we must consider also the argument of the Labor Premier of New South AYales, Mr Holman. that the time has come, along with reasonable arbitration laws, for the strike right to end. No doubt there will be some agreement in the Labor ranks with this. It. is possible, then, that there will be differences of opinion among the meu themselves as to the degree of the new definition of the field of expenditure. Under the circumstances an optional

measure should give men the light to choose for themselves how far they wish the expenditure 'of Union funds to be used outside of Union purposes as strictly defined by tire Court, and, indeed, whether they wish to go outside that definition at all. This is practically the option now enjoyed by the employers of labor. That Labor should have the same is but justice.