A LEGAL POINT.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVI, Issue 2305, 25 September 1908, Page 2

A LEGAL POINT.

A CANCELLED TRADES AWARD. A CHARGE OF STRIKING. [Peess Association.] AVANGANUI, Sent. 24. An important point m connection with the Arbitration Court was disclosed as.-the result of a case hoard in the Arbitration Court ,in which 30 employees of the Wanganui Meat Freezing Company were charged wiln striking. Evidence was given to the effect that the men stopped work in February last for 20 minutes only, and demanded -an increase in wage's, a round-robin being sent in to the copipany. The men were informed 'that their action whs tantamount to a strike. The men contended that the ward under which, they wore supposed to be working had been cancelled, and was therefore inoperative. The company gave the increase demanded on protest, and the men returned to. work. They were subsequently given to understand that what- laid occurred was not a strike, and that the Minister of Labor and Inspector of Awards agreed with this view. The Labor Department initiated proceedings subsequently, and the men were charged Oast Tuesday 'with striking. The Court reserved its judgment. Later in the sittings counsel for the men pointed out that the Wanganui Aleut AVorkers’ Union had been cancelled in 1806, and a new -union formed later, which was a year old. The unipn having become defunct, counsel held that no award was in force, the formation of a new union not having revived the (award. Counsel for the Department- asked for time to consult the Wellington authorities, and as a result the cases were this morning withdrawn on the ground -raised by the defence.