CLAIM FOR £500 FAILS

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LV, Issue 17527, 23 July 1931, Page 6

CLAIM FOR £SOO FAILS

MINERS’ UNION SUED ALLEGED UNLAWFUL STRIKE A claim for a .penalty of £SOO from the Grey Valley Miners’ Union for-an alleged ln-bach of'section 15 of the Labor Disputes Investigation Act,, ill that there wits an unlawful strike of members on June 17 at the Wiillaenrt mine, was made by the Labor Department in the Grcymouth Alagistrato’s Court.

The manager. Mr. Smith, stated that Hie mine was idle during three shifts. Witness last May received a letter from the union secretary. William’Purdy, who ’ t vas named; as defendant in the charge, requesting that one Walker, who was a member of the Briandale tribute party, be not employed as surveyor in the colliery. Walker, -however, was employed surveying in tho mine oil June 17. A meeting of miners was hold, after the miners had ascertained that Walker was'omploycd, and idle shifts followed.' ’ The union vice-president had later stated that the men would' take a holiday' any time Walker was employed. .

Witness stated Walker:was not an employee of the company as surveyor, although a member of tho tribute party at Briandale. *

.. Defendant Pnrdv produced the union’s minute book showing.that .the union in. May resolved, to request the company 'not to employ Walker.’ The union, however, convened no meeting to instigate a strike. AVitnesfi had told Mr. Davies, tho inspector of Awards, who prosecuted, that the mine would probably he idle if WilkeF w ; o ked,there. Alf. Bfosnan, for the union, .contended that there was no evidence that the union had instigated-the stoppage. The 'inspector had failed to prove the charge. - Air. Davies argued that no dispute existed,, but the letter of tho union secretary, combined with the action of the officials and the stoppage, proved the alleged breach. The magistrate, Air. Mcldrum, held that while there was a suspicion, of union responsibility, no proof of it had been adduced. lie dismissed the'information.