WELLINGTON BAKERS' STRIKE.

Otago Witness, Issue 2811, 26 August 1908, Page 53

WELLINGTON BAKERS' STRIKE.

SECRETARY CHARGED WITH ABETTING.

JUDGMENT RESERVED. WELLINGTON, August 24. Andrew Collins, secretary of the Wellington Bakers' Industrial Union of Workers, came before the Arbitration Court to-day on a charge that he, being a person on whom the bakers' award is binding, committed a breach of section 15 of " The Industrial Conciliation and Arbitration Act Amendment Act, 1905," in that during the period from May 28, 1903, to the date of the application, he created, proposed, aided, or abetted a strike or movement intended to produce a strike in the bakers' trade in the city of Wellington. The Inspector of Awards (Mr E* LeCren) applied to the court for enforcement of the provisions of the above-mentioned act against the said Andrew Collins. Mr D. M. Findlay represented Mr LeCren ; Mr Wilford appeared for the respondent. In giving evidence as a witness for_ the prosecution, respondent said that while he was secretary of the union the two resolutions of June 23 and 29 (having regard to a strike) were passed. The strike was decided upon by 42 votes to 25, and there were four "informal votes. A second ballot was taken, because some of the men were dissatisfied, and at this ballot 46 voted for striking, 13 against it, and one informal vote was given. As soon as the strike was declared, he said "These books are closed," and they had been closed ever since. He knew pickets were sent out, but he was not on any of them. He admitted having supplied the information contained in various newspaper interviews, information which had been gathered from the men. When the strike had been decided upon he told the men that he would stand by them. What sort of a man would he have been had he not done so ? But he warned them out of his experience of strikes in the past that the moment they interfered with free labourerism in any way except jv^;* 7 ~ "''on they would lose public support, and €hat if they went ', beyond moral •.....^.■m he would leave them at that moment. Mr Wilford admitted that respondent had stood by and assisted the men from the date mentioned onwards. Mr Collins, further examined, denied having stated that the strikers intended to starve the community. Forty men went out on strike. There were about 11 left, the rest having gone back to work. He regarded himself as neither a worker in the union nor an employer. Ernest LeCren, Inspector of Awards, cross-examined by Mr Wilford, said he had obtained a document from Collins which admitted that he had aided and abetted the men after the}- went on strike. He understood from inquiries he had made that Collins had dons his best to persuade the men not to go on strike. ] Judgment was reserved. | THE MEN CHARGED. The court declined to adjourn the hearing of- the charge against the other men, although Mr Wilford pointed out that judgment in Collins's case would make all the difference in the world so far as seven of them were concerned. The next case taken was that of John Domenench, who was charged with aiding and abetting the strike. Mr Findlay remarked that the case would probably turn on whether defendant was a worker or an employer within the meaning of the act. There could be little doubt that he was one who proposed or aided the strike before June 29. The circumstances were somewhat different from the other case. Defendant had at one time been a working baker and a member of the union. He had left in consequence of entering into business on his own behalf as a restaurant-keeper, but rejoined on May 30, 1908. He was then doing nothing. He was still a present member of the union, but was not working at the trade. Andrew Collins testified that when he enrolled defendant he was satisfied that he was not an employer, but a journeyman baker. He said he was desirous of i obtaining employment. He also remained > a journeyman baker anxious to obtain i employment after the strike had taken ) place. Mr Fitzgibbon, who appeared for respondent, said the point he relied on was that under section 111 it was clear that the only person who could be brought within the provisions of the act was any I industrial union, association of employers, ; or any worker, whether a member of such I unioi} or not. Defendant was not a i worker. He was not an employer. I Therefore, the act could not apply. Judgment was reserved. In the case of Jesse Harlen. who was summoned for striking on June 29, the | defence was that he had struck on June ■ 28. and so could not be guilty. | After some argument, the court held that it had power to amend the citation, and defendant was convicted of com- j

T mitting an offence on either the 28th or 29th. The remainder of the cases except two were then disposed of. In one of them a plea of " Not guilty '* was entered. The defence was that* he 1 could not be guilty of striking. He .had • left his work subsequent to the main strike. A man had been induced to leave his work. There was no evidence I that -he had struck. Judgment was reserved. i The case of Geo. Kelfe was similar ip ' part, judgment being also reserved". PCBLICATIONS RRCKIYED The Hibbart Journal is tha "strong man" |of serious magazinodom. The issue fo* j July is an exceptionally good one, contain-^ ing many articles of special interest. The contents as a whole are certainly of a kind! highly calculated to command attention from thoughtful readers. Among other striking essays is one on " Science and the * ' Purpose, of Life," by Dr Fridtjof Nansen, an Utterance that will arouse response ib many minds. "The Right to Constrain? Men for Their Own Good" is the title of a paper by Professor W ,M. Flinders Berne, who has a good deal to say which should prove of interest to prohibitionists and others. M. Rene-L. Gerard, in his j article, " Civilisation in. Danger," sounds j, a_ timely note of warning anent the pos-"~ sible results of certain tendencies n©wi operating in the great centres of pro* 1 gressive power. The -Rev. A. J .Camp- ■ , bell discusses " The Ohurch of Scotland *■ 1 and its Formula," in a brightly-written i paper, which _ should receive attentior in \. ; the Dominion, seeing that we are hesitat-"* I in« on the outset of a heresy-hunt. Amon& other chief items are papers on " Religion. , and Our Schools," by Professor JoKh ' Dewey; "The Problem of Immortality.? , by Professor Rudolf Eucken; "The Reli« gion of the Sensible American," by President David Starr-Jordan ; " Enlightened Action the True Basis -of Morality," by ; Professor A. H. Lloyd; "The Burden of , Language in Religion : A Catholic Study," by Mr W. J. Williams; "The Romantic I Element in the Ethics of Christ." by Mr Stanley Gerald Dunn; "An Appeal to Those at the Top, and Something More." 'by Sir Edward Russell ; and " The Reli- ■ gionist and the Scientist," by the Rev. G-. jA. Johnston Ross. In addition there is an ! extensive array of ' high-class reviews , a i deal of interesting discussion on previous j articles, and the usual exhaustive biblioi graphy of recent books and' articles. (Wil« liams and Norgate; 2s 6d net). The Girls' Realm for July (Messrs Gor* don and Gotch) is full of mterestL»c mavj ter, comprising useful articles on various - topics and short stories with some excellent , illustrations. In "At the Royal Academy."' \ by Alice Corkran, some of the notable pic* I turea of the year are described, and some of them reproduced in quite -an artistiei manner. "Kidnappers of Royalty,"'" by, j George yon Barnfcldt, deals with some daring plots, some recent, some ancient, to( >. get royal princes out of the way foi political purposes. A brief account is given ofij a motor caravan and the charm of leading"; a gipsy- life, but surrounded bjr all modern/ - con ven fences, including telephonic commu- ! nicafcion, a piano, and an organ. An inter- 1 ! esting article is'that on "The Eternal City,. I Restored." A new idea in arts and crafts for home workers is given in " What «, - Girl Does with Breadcrumbs." Still more important in that respect is the account of the Great Girls' Realm Guild Exhibition, with a list of the indiistries and handicrafts represented. There is an excellent btudy of a dog's head, and as a frontispiece s a ' reproduction of an Academy picture. " David Garrick." ! Cassell's Magazine far August (Gordon I and Gotch) is an interesting summer nuni- - ! ber, with- stories by Joseph Conrad, Heleni | Mathers, Richard Marsh, F. M. White, and others, and a novelette by A. and CL i Askew. The coloured frontispiece, "Mixed Doubles." is calculated to make the most sober-sided laugh. " A Chat About Cari- | cature," by Mostyn T. Pigott, is capitally, j illustrated by H. G. Bartholomew. i Valentin. Steet tells of " Royalty Who - | Write," and shows how the scribbling craze ! has permeated the Courts of Europe, porI traits being given of queens and kings. princes and princesses who have ventursdl ' into print. " The Puzzle Realm " will afford amusement by those who delight in, Lpiizzlerf. Jean Victor Batea contributes an, i all too brief sketch of Bonci, the tenor. | who runs Caruso close in public favour. j There is not a dull article or story in ths whole number, which is certainly livelier I than moat of the publications intended for i readers in the English summer days.