Mr. Justice Lush has given a decision very important to
Trades' Unions. One Dodd, secretary to the House Painters' Association, forged a pass-book, and so abstracted about 800/. of the society's money. He avows that he was tempted by the legal decision declaring such societies in restraint of trade, and therefore illegal. Mr. Justice Lush, however, laid it down that though a society which supported strikes was illegal, and was not entitled to the benefit of the Friendly Societies' Act, it still remained an ordinary copartnership, its meLnbers still owned their money, and Dodd was therefore convicted. Under this decision the Societies are protected like private firms, and are only exposed to the annoyance of having to prosecute as such, instead of as corporations. That annoyance, however, might occasionally be very great, as in- creasing expenditure.
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