TRADE DISPUTE.

Auckland Star, Volume XXX, Issue 7, 10 January 1899, Page 3

TRADE DISPUTE.

IRON AND : BRASS MOULDERS' WAGES.

(By Telegraph.—Own Correspondent.)

WELLINGTON, Monday,

The Conciliation Board met this morning to hear the dispute between the iron and brass moulders and certain employers. The following are the main conditions of employment sought by the men:—(l). Forty-four hours shall constitute a week's work. From August to April (inclusive) work shall not commence (except as overtime) before eight a^m. or conto dinner: vfrom May to July (inclutinile after five p.m.", with one hour sive). eight a.m. to 4.30 p.m., with half-an-hour for dinner, except on Saturday, when the time worked shall be from eight a.m. to 12 noon. Each day shall stand by itself. (2) Overtime' shall be paid for at the rate of time and a-quarter for the first two hours, after the first two hours time and a-half, double time to be paid for Sundays, Good Friday, Christmas. Day, andLa'bour Day, other statutory holidays time and* a-half. (3) The, minimum rate of wages for journeymen shall be i/4 per. hour. (4). The number of apprentices shall be limited to one to three men, to be calculated on the average number of men. employed "during the preceding twelve months; no apprentice shall serve for a shorter period than six years; an apprentice having served six years at the trade shall be considered a journeyman;'the scale of wages shall be as*follows: 5/ per week for the first year, and 10/, 15/, 20/. 25/, and 35/ per Aveek for the .successive years; no boy shall be admitted to the trade over 15 years of age; all apprentices shall be indentured. (5) Members of trade unions shall be employed in preference to non-unionists.

Mr TJarbour having opened the case for the men. several employers complained of not having received notice of the claims, and declared that no dispute had occurred with their workmen. Mr Robertson said a notice had been received from Mr Vaney, of the Trades and Labour Council, declaring that the Union had conclusively decided to enforce this claim. He and Messrs Smith, Luke, and others urged that in order to save time the dispute should be referred direct to the Arbitration Court. , After a heated discussion, Mr Quick, chairman, ruled that it wns the duty of the Board of Conciliation to hear on its merits any disputes submitted by a Trades and Labour Council. The meeting then adjourned.