1.—9

43

the Tailors' Union cited me to appear before the Arbitration Court, and the Judge decided that, as I had made myself responsible to Mr. Currie for the price of the making (I had done this, I admit, in a few cases wdiere the customer could not pay till the end of the month), I was fined £5 and costs. I consider this a very wrong decision, but there is no appeal allowed. Well, to make the case worse for me, I got a bill of costs from the Secretary of the Tailors' Union amounting to £22 Bs. (a copy of which is enclosed, marked " No. 1 "), also an amended statement of costs (marked "No. 2"). On receiving the No. 1 statement I wrote to the Secretary of the Tailors' Union objecting to a number of charges, with the result that on my meeting him before the Clerk of Awards (Mr. Thomas) at the time arranged for taxation he produced an amended account, thereby proving that he must have known he was making extortionate and unfair charges in the first bill of costs. The amended bill of costs was reduced by the Clerk of Awards, who disallowed the expenses of a member of the union who only attended the Court for a short time one day, and who knew nothing whatever of my case. This Act is a monstrous one; any union can subpoena as many of its members as it chooses and charge expenses every clay they appear in Court. An employer is entirely at the mercy of these unions. Yours, &c, J, Bollard, Esq., M.H.R., Wellington. H. Atkins, Jun.

No. 1. Tailors' Union v. Atkins. £ s. d. Court fine ... ... ... ... ... ...500 Solicitor's fee ... ... •■■ ■ -• ••■ ...220 Rent of hall ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 0 5 0 Stamps ... ... ... ... ... ... ...0 6 0 Filing fee ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 0 6 0 Witnesses — E. Williams, 6£ days at Bs. ... ... ... ... 2 12 0 |{. Currie, 6 days at 10s. ... ... ... ... ...3 0 0 R. Campbell, 6 days at Bs. ... ... .. ... 2 8 0 H. McDonald, 6 days at 6s. Bd. ... ... ... ..200 Mr. Mogson, 1J days at Bs. ... ... ... ... 0 12 0 R. Reardon, Secretary, 6J days at Bs. ... ... ... 2 12 0 Serving subpoenas, 5 days at ss. ... ... ... ... 1 5 0 £22 8 0

No. 2. Tailors' Union v. Atkins. £ s . d. Fine ... ... ... ... ... ... ...5 0 0 Solicitor's fee ... ... ... ... ... ...220 Hire of hall (share) ... ... ... ... ... ... 0 2 6 Stamps used to convene special meeting ... ... ... ...060 Filing fees ... ... ... " ... ... ... ...0 9 0 Witnesses — E. Williams, 6| days at Bs. ... ... ... ... 2 12 0 R. Currie, 6 days at 10s. ... ... ... ... ...300 Mr. Reardon, 6| days at Bs. ... ... ... ... 2 12 0 G. McDonald, 6 days at 6s. Bd. ... ... ... ...200 Serving four summonses ... ... ... ... ...050 Printing circulars for special meeting (share) . . ... ... 0 3 6 £18 12 0 Allowed, £18 12s—R. G. Thompson, Clerk of Awards. 11/7/04.

From the Amalgamated Society op Engineers, Auckland. I am instructed by resolution of the above branch to state that it fully approves of suggested amendment to Conciliation and Arbitration Act re empowering Stipendiary Magistrates to deal with breaches of recommendations of' awards when not exceeding £50 penalty. John Fawcus, President.

From the Otago Coal-miners' Industrial Union op Workers. I am directed by my committee to bring under your notice the urgent necessity of amending section 86 subsection (1) clause (d), "Conciliation and Arbitration Act, 1900," by inserting Hie words " or industrial agreement " after the words " new award." In support of our request, I may state that we entered into tin industrial agreement with the Alexandra Coal-mine Proprietors in May last, only to find that we could not file same with Clerk of Awards. As the case now stands the mines are working under an award of the Court in which the hours of employment are eight at the face. They cannot take advantage of the legislation of last year which your honourable House were pleased to pass —viz., eight hours from surface to