THE CRAFT OF THE SMITH.

Auckland Star, Volume XLVII, Issue 18, 21 January 1916, Page 6

THE CRAFT OF THE SMITH.

NEW AWARD FOB WORKERS. REFERRED TO CONCILIATION The industrial conditions of men employed in the farrier and blacksmith trades were discussed by a Conciliation Council this morning, the Auckland Farriers and General Blacksmith' Union having made an application for a new award to supersede the existing award, which has overrun its term. The Conciliation Commissioner (Mr. T. Harle Giles) preflided, and the Council comprised Messrs. L. Hotchin, T. Mason, and J-, Hallett (for the union), and Messrs. G. Wilkinson, J. Andrews, and A. Burgess (for the employers). Mr. A. Roseer conducted the case for the union. The employers for the most part, as represented by Mr. S. E. Wright, of the Employer?' Association, submitted as counterproposals to the claims of the union the provision* of the old award, with the invariable objection to preference to unionists. This section of the employers included the large carrying firms which do their own shoeing. The union's proposal contained nothing new with regard to hours of work, the present a-ward providing for 47 hours. The new holiday clause included Easter Saturday, in addition to the more generally recognised statutory holidays. The claim • for wages was for 1/6 for general smith and farriers, and 1/4 for ttoormen, as against 1/4} and 1/lj respectively, the existing rates. The wages of apprentices suggested in the claims of the union were at the following rates: 10/ per week for the tirst year, 17/6, £1 2/0, £1 10/, and £1 17/6 for the following years, a slightly higher scale than that provided for in the existing award. The union proposal for overtime was time and a quarter for the first hour, time and a half for the second hour, and double time thereafter. The existing award allows overtime at the rate of time and a quarter from f> p.m. to 8 p.m., and after that hour time and a half. Quarter of an hour is allowed for finishing horses that are in the smithy before closing time. « The Master Farriers' Association suggested that during the winter months the dinner time be three-quarters of an hour, and the time of knocking off be 1 quarter of an hour earlier. The wages I suggested by the master farriers were J/4 per hour for farrjers, • and 1/2 for doormen, and their overtime suggestion was time and a quarter up to 9 o'clock, after which hour work was to "be prohibited.

The existing award contains this clause: —

"Employers who are public carriers, or employers who do farriers' work for public carriers, may arrange with their workers to start work at an hour not earlier than B ajn., instead of 7.30 α-m., for the purpose of shoeing horses used by such public carriers, but not for any other purpose." The union in its claims omitted this clause, and the master farriers were quite willing and even actively doeirovw that it should be deleted. Measra. J. J: Craig, A. B. Wright, &ni Winstone, Ltd., protested, vigorously against this attitude,' fila* Mr. S. E. Wright afi3 Mrl'E; A. Craig personally urged the claims of the carriers. . Commenting upon the fact that the clause had been dropped from the new claims, Mr. Itosser observed that nowhere else in the Dominion were carriers given such an advantage over master farriers. It ■woe primarily at the suggestion of the master farriers that an attempt had been made to bring the carriers which did their own shoeing, into line with the master farriers and start level at 7.30 a.m. The Council went into committee to consider the terms of the new award, and Jo discuss several applications for exemption. COMPLETE SETTLKMENT. BEACHED. When the Council resumed, the Commissioner announced that a full Settlement had been arrived at with respect to all matters in dispute. No exemptions were granted, with the exception of S. E. Coles, who has gone out of business. The protest of J. J. Craig, Ltd., Winetone, Ltd., and Wrights, Ltd., against deleting the clause giving those firms the right to work their farriers at an earlier hour than that fixed by the award for the trade generally, Was sent on to the Court for decision. The agreement arrived at fixes the hoars of work at 47 per week, 8J hours on the first five days of each week and 2} houre on Saturday. The time for starting work was fixed at 7.30 a.m..' One hour is allowed for dinner, but there is a proviso that by agreement this may be curtailed to three-quarters of an hour, provided the men knock of! tit 4.45 p.m. The wages fired are: A minimum of 1/5 per hour for farriers and general smiths, ail increase of one penny per hour, and 1/3 per hour for doormen, increase of l)d per hour. Farriere who also act as floormen will get 1/5 per hour. Overtime is fixed at time and aquarter the first hour, time and a-half for the second hour, and after that double time. Easter Saturday ie added to the holidays. In the' apprentice clause the rates of pay are:—First year, 10/, second year 17/6 (increase of 2/6 per week), third year 22/6 (increase of 2/6), fourth year 30/ (increase of 2/6), and fifth year 37/6 (same as in last award. Piecework and preference clauses are unaltered and the Underrate workers' clause is left unsettled so that the' caee may be sent to the Court. The- term of the award ie fSt two yean. • , To-day beilig' ;ihe seventh anniversary of the appointment of Mr T. Harle Giles -as Conciliation Commkeioner, the aeseteors congratulated that gentleman upon the good work he had done in the intereete of both employers and employees in his position. On the motion of Mr John Andrew, seconded by Mr Louis Hotchin, and supported by Mr Roseer, a hearty vote of thanks was accorded Mr Giles for the manner in which he had conducted this caee.