THE OSBORNE JUDGMENT.

Taranaki Herald, Volume LVIII, Issue 14347, 27 October 1910, Page 3

THE OSBORNE JUDGMENT.

AN INTERESTING LETTER. By Electric Telegraph.—Copyright. (Received Oct. 27, 9 a.m.) LONDON, Oct. 26. Mr. Frederick Harrison, in a letter to The Times, contends that the reversal of the Osborne Judgment is out of the question. He argues that if members of tho House of Commons are compelled to vote according to tho will of the executive of the trade union, they will soon bo mot by members equally bound to obey tho behests of other corpqrato bodies such as banks, railroads, brewers, steel, cotton, shipping, and corn combines. Thtia special interests would be represented in Parliament and would so publicly and normally act. Ho adds tiiat doubtless a Bill' effecting what Mr. Keir Hardie asks is possible. It might enact that any combination of workmen applying its common funds to the maintenance of •salaried members of the House of Commons should not be deemed a ’ trade union as defined by tho Trades Unions Act, and should not enjoy tho privileges and immunity conferred on a real trade union. Mr. Harrison scathingly denounces the dishonesty of th' socialist minority in the trade unions seeking to capture and divert to utopian schemes the careful savings of trade unions subscribed to succour tho labourer who is out of work or in sickness and old age, or to assist his family at the time of his death.