POWERS OF A UNION.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXIX, Issue 3399, 14 December 1911, Page 3

POWERS OF A UNION.

AN IMPORTANT JUDGMENT,

[per press association)] WELLINGTON, Dec. 13. A judgment, important in its effect on the powers of a union and the union secretary was delivered by bis Honor the Chief’ Justice Sir Robert Stout, yesterday afternoon. Pierre Chapplm, cook.'of Wellington, was the plaintiff, and' the defendants were W. T. Young, secretary of the Wellington section ol the' Australasian Federated Seamen’s Industrial Union of Workers. Mr 1. M. Wilford. with him Mr P. Levi, appeared for the plaintiff, and Mr C. R. Dix for both defendants. The plaintiff claimed damages from. +hi deiorn.ants on two grounds:—(1) That tbev induced certain seamen and nrej.-en to leave their employment because the plaintiff was kept as a cook on hoard the steamer Nikau; (2) that they threatened the employers of the plaintiff that if the plaintiff was not dismissed they would prevent sailors or firemen joining the vessel Nikau, m which the plaintiff was employed. After quoting legal authorities his Honor said 1 : “I feel sure that what was done must have been done without due consideration. This feeling is confirmed bv the fact that, as I have said, Young stated to Rodgers that what had occurred would not happen again. The defendant no doubt saw that to deprive, a workman or another unionist of his employ incut/ without hearing any complaint against him, and by accepting the statement of Rowe and his companions as true and without giving the plaintiff a chance of defending himself,, was as tyrannical and cruel as it was unjust and illegal. I must therefore give judgment for the plaintiff for the sum of £SO, with costs on tho lowest scale, witnesses’ expenses and disbursements. Seeing that defendants have disclaimed any. intention of pursuing tlie course previously followed, it is not necessary to grant any injunction. T. may add that I hope that the defendants will show that there is true brotherhood of Labor by using their best endeavors to get tlio nl a i ntiff reinstated in employment as a cook on some steamer or. skip, and not take up an attitude l of. ill will towards him, an attitude which is generally associated with tho doings of a. tyrannical trust. ’ ’