The Stratford Evening Post. WITH WHICH IS INCORPORATED THE EGMONT SETTLER. MONDAY, DECEMBER 9, 1912. REGISTRATION CANCELLED.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXIV, Issue 88, 9 December 1912, Page 4

The Stratford Evening Post. WITH WHICH IS INCORPORATED THE EGMONT SETTLER. MONDAY, DECEMBER 9, 1912. REGISTRATION CANCELLED.

An action of Mr. Justice Heydon in a case before the New South Wales Arbitration Court recently, is decidedly interesting, as showing the powers conferred upon such an official, and also instancing the position in which a registered union is placed under the New South Wales Act. It was stated by the ‘Daily Telegraph’ that Mr. Justice Heydon commented severely upon the “contempt” of the official journal of the New South. Wales Railway and Tramway Association, “Co-opera-tor,” in recent articles reflecting upon Mr. Hamilton, as chairman of a Wages Board. He complimented Mr. Catts (who appeared for the Association), which had been cited to show cause why its registration should not he cancelled) for having used the limit ol possible argument to show that no argument had been formulated, hut remarked that the chairman had been kicked and jumped upon in Court. The newspaper was the official or authorised organ of the Association, and an article had been devoted exclusively to the chairman of the hoard, and was headed, “An Unsatisfactory Chairman.” There had been no withdrawal, no retraction, no apology. It could not he denied that the executors had done nothing whatever to repudiate it or to express any indighation. The article was a violent, abusive, and slanderous one. If the Association was not responsible for the article, then no one was responsible for anything. The ‘Co-operator’ was its official organ, through which it spoke to the world, and it was the business of the executive to see what their organ said. They could not escape their responsibilities by saying they did not write it. His Honour forthwith cancelled the powers and registration of the Association under the Act. In regard to the decision, Mr. Catts, when asked what effect the cancellation of the registration would have, said he did not think they were losing very much. The .fudge, could, under the Act, cancel registration for any reason that appeared good to him, but he (Mr. Catts) was of opinion that that reason must be an industrial reason. The union had been held responsible for an article in a public newspaper, not one share in which was owned by any employeee in the railway and tramway service. He considered that, if there was any fault, the matter should have been dealt with in the law courts under the heading of libel. The union would, take legal advice in regard to the matter.