LIMITED MEMBERSHIP.

Thames Star, Volume LXIII, Issue 17759, 5 December 1929, Page 5

LIMITED MEMBERSHIP.

AN AWARD CHALLENGED

ALLEGATION BY WATERSIDER

(By Telegraph.,—Press Association.)

CHRISTCHURCH, Dec. 5. A case of interest to the whole of New Zealand was heard at the, Supreme Court this 'morning. It involves the legality of Industrial Unions, limiting their membership to a, fixed number, and. applies .particularly to> waterside workers at main ports. The limitation -referred to is authorised, by an award of the Arbitration Court. Edward Gillard, a waterside worker at Lyttelton, before Mr. Justice Adams, sued the committee of management of the Lyttelton Waterside Workers Union for £SO damages for loss of work during the past year. He asked for an order that the committee should admit him as a member of the union and accept the fees tendered by him. The statement of claim said: The defendants have without just cause excluded the plaintiff from obtaining the privileged status conferred by membership of the said union and which status plaintiff is entitled by. law to acquire, and plaintiff has been victimised by the defendants and deprived of work and caused much damage by the defendants’ determination to prevent him from acquiring the said status.” The defence was that Gillard did not make proper application for membership bv applying to the secretary and tendering his subscription. The case'is proceeding.