Gill FJ:

The question for determination in this appeal was whether a company incorporated and registered under the provisions of the Companies Act, 1965 is a "statutory authority" as defined in s. 27(3) of the Trade Unions Ordinance, 1959, which was added by reg. 9 of the Essential (Trade Unions) Regulations, 1969 as enacted by PU (A) 408 of 1969 on 9 October 1969.

The question arose in this way. As a result of certain claims being made by the respondent union for revision of the terms of service of the employees of the appellant company, there arose a dispute which could not be resolved by the parties. It was therefore referred on the joint request of the parties to the Minister who in turn referred it to the Industrial Court under s. 23 of the Industrial Relations Act, 1967.

The respondent union filed its statement of case on 24 February 1969 and the appellant company its reply on 10 April 1969. The case came up for hearing before the Industrial Court on 7 October 1969 but was adjourned for further negotiations between the parties on a certain agreed basis, so that even if there was no complete settlement the points of difference might be narrowed.

As no settlement wa