DEFIANCE.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 17567, 18 June 1925, Page 1

DEFIANCE.

WALSH IN COURT. UNION DEREGISTERED. i (Special to the “Star.”) MELBOURNE, Juno o. In tho Arbitration Court this morning Mr Tom Walsh (president of tho Seapien’s Union) flatly declined to give any undertaking that tbo two idlo ships in Sydney (the Eromanga and Dilga) would bo manj lied. Tho Judge definitely ordered the union to man. these ships. Mr Walsh politely replied that the union would not mail them. Mr Walsh opened tho proceedings by intimating that it- may help and hasten the hearing of this case to say that the Seamen’s Union has no desire to oppose the application for deregistration of the union.” Mr Justice Webb: There is something that I would very much rather bee than the deregistration of tho union or tho cancellation of the award,

land that is to see tiio ships manned. There , are two m Sydney, .for ! which crews have been requested and : refused. “T ORDER YOU.” Mr "Walsh: o cannot give any promise of that. Air Justice Webb: X must order you, Mr Walsh, to endeavour to- supply tho men for these ships. Mr Walsh : "Wo. must respectfully decline to do that. Mr Justice YYVbb: You will notico that T. have ordered you to- man these* two ship:;. Mr Walsh: I take full responsibility for declining, and must maintain my attitude. Mr Latham (for tlio applicants): I formally apply for the deregistration of the union and the cancellation of the award. Mr Justice Webb: Can I ask you, Mr YY alsh, do you take full responsibility for declining to obey the order > given to you? MAKES NO DIFFERENCE. Mr YYalsh: -I understand the responsibility, your Honor. But it makes no difference- to us. Jlis Honor: You understand (bat to j disobey tlio order of the Court is one of tho grounds for which the Act gives leave to deregister th e union. T have ordered you on the authority of tho Court to man these ships, and you have refused. Ylr YValsli: YY’hieh should make the application of tho ship owners all themore easy to comply with. There arc now no difficulti.es in the way. Air Latham: Prima facie the application ought to b-e. acceded to. His Honor: It is exercising my mind as to whether the Court i- justified in exorcising its discretion. Mr Latham: If ever the discretion of the Court is to bo exercised, it must he done now. His Honor: I agree with that. Air Latham : And the Court has full power to grant this application. His Honor : If the Court does exercise its power to deregister the union and cancel the award, there can he now no doubt whether its action is lawful and binding. Mr Justice Webb gave his decision j deregistering the union and cancelling its wards as from midnight.