Seddon and his colleagues took in hand. Its title was the “Threats and Molestations Bill.” It was designed to deliver a staggering blow at Trades Unionism. It is stated that the Bill really had its origin in a coal-lumpers’ dispute at Lyttelton. The provisions it contained could hardly have been more drastic. It provided for sending to prison for a term not exceeding three months any person who induced others to quit their work, or interfered in any of the ways usually adopted by unionists when strikes were contemplated or were in progress. It prohibited people from belonging to any temporary or permanent trade association or combination, and would not allow any fines imposed by such a body to be paid. Nobody was to be allowed to persistently follow any person from place to place, to hide tools, clothes, or other property, or to watch opposite any house or workshop. The Bill, in fact, which contained only half-a-dozen clauses, prohibited Trades Unionism and made “picketing” a penal offence.
It was introduced into the Legislative Council by Sir P. Buckley and into the House by Sir Robert Stout, who was Premier. Neither of those gentlemen, however, took a hand in drafting it. They took it up at the request of a member of the Legislative Council, who was well known to be opposed to unionism, and introduced it as an obligement to him. It was a copy of an English Act then in force. When it came before the House, Mr. Seddon, who expressed surprise at the head of the Government introducing such a Bill to the House of Representatives, explained that the English Act had been passed only after serious outrages had been committed. Nothing of that nature had taken place in New Zealand. To ask the House to pass a Bill of that description seemed to him to be asking it to legislate in the interests of capital against labour. He saw no necessity for the Bill, and he looked upon its introduction as an insult to the working men of New Zealand.
There was only a small number of members present, and it was in the very last moments of the session. The Bill, in fact, was the last business dealt with by Parliament in 1885. It was introduced without any explanation as to its provisions or effect, and had not Mr. Seddon been on the alert, scanning every proposal
