WORK AND WAGES.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXIX, Issue 78, 31 March 1908, Page 6

WORK AND WAGES.

■ i 9 DISPUTES Am CABLYSETTLED. (By Telegraph.—Own Correspondent.)""* 1 WELLINGTON, this day. Three industrial disputes down for hearing at recent sittings of the Arbitration Court in Wellington were amicably adjusted by means of friendly conlerences betwen the parties interested without recourse to the "_burt. Mr. W. Prvor, the New Zealand Employers' Fed eration secretary, says tL__t it "is £ matter for much congratulation that so many of these disputes are now being settled in conference, especially as the federation has laid it down as part of its policy that, wherever possible, these matters should reach finality by friendly agreement, rather than by an award o"f the Conciliation Board or Arbitration Court. The experience of all those who were interested in such matters was tha* v.hen an agreement was arri-sed at in this amicable fashion, the resulting awards worked with far less friction than when every single point had to be contested before the Court.

MUSTERERS' AWARD. (By Telegrraph.—Press Association.) -b DUNEDIN, Monday. The Arbitration Court's awards in the musterers' dispute provides that the musterers are to be paid not less than 10/ per day if engaged for less than a week, and £2 2/ per week, for a week or more, with additional payment in the latter case of 10/ for Sunday mustering. Musterers are to be paid 10/ per day for snow-raking. Regular farm or station hands engaged in mustering occasionally are not subject to the award. Youths may be employed as learners at not less than the following rates, plus board and lodging:—First year, 17/6 per week; second year, 22/6 per week. The proportion of learners to adult musterers to be not more than one to four. Where reasonably practicable, musterers shall be provided with good dry sleeping accommodation on hills, provision to be made for the protection of bedding from wet. The award comes into force on May I, and has a currency of two years. The _nion asked for an award for shepherds also, but did not prove any necessity for such an award, or furnish material on which an award could be based, so the Court decided not to deal with the subject. OTAGO MINERS' AWARD. The award in the dispute between the Otago and Southland Gold Miners' Industrial Union of Workers and the Round Hill Mining Company and the Ourawera Gold Mining Company provides for eighthour shifts, and the following minimum rates of wages:—Claim hands and racemen, 1/ per hour; blacksmiths, 9/ per shift. The wages now paid by the Bound Hill Company to racemen in excess of the rate fixed are not to be reduced during the currency of the award. Overtime for Sundays and holidays is to be paid as fixed by the Mining Act, 1906. Youths may be employed at not less than the following rates:—lß to 20 years, 6/ per shift; 20 to 21 years, 7/ per shift. Provision is made for under-rate workers, and for preference to unionists, provided the- union admits to membership without a ballot a person of good character on an entrance fee of not more than 5/ and a contribution not exceeding 6d per week. This clause is not to prevent the employment of present workers who may not be unionists. The award comes into force-on April 13, and continues for one year. :