NEW AWARDS.

Auckland Star, Volume XLVII, Issue 67, 18 March 1916, Page 6

NEW AWARDS.

BOARDING-HOUSE DISPUTE. 11 ESTABLISHMENTS AS PARTIES. BAKERS AND NIGHT WORK. Four important awards of the Arbitration Court were filed this morning. All relate to disputes heard during the Court's present sessions. The decision of the Court in the award for private hotels and restaurants ha? been eagerly awaited by the proprietors ol many boardinghousc.3 in the city and suburbs, a very large number of wlkiui were originally cited as parties to the dispute. In its memorandum the Court states: "This award is based on the awards already made in connection with 6imilar establishments in the Wellington and Otago and Southland districts. In determining as to which of the parties cited should be brought under the award as private hotels, we have been guided In the nature of the business done in the various establishments, the number of workers employed, and the tariff charged. The dividing line drawn by us between those who should and those who should not come under the award is more or lose arbitrary, and probably could not be justified on any logical ground, but the only alternatives open tc us were either to exclude, or to include, all boardinghouses. Neither of these alternatives seemed reasonable or proper, and we were forced, therefor?, to adopt a middle course, which will at least have the effect of placing the workers employed in the more important ostablishments under similar conditions to those employed in hotele.

"We etrongiy advise the boardinghouse keepers who are not included \-' this award to place workers in their employ, if reasonably practicable to do so, under similar conditions, so far as wages and holidays are concerned, to those provided for the workers coverei by this award, as failure to do so will afford good grounds for eeeking to brin;; them under the award. We had some doubt," it adds, "as to whether we should grant preference to unionists in this case in view of the fact that in November, 1913, the union endeavoured to obtain certain concessions from the employers under threat of a strike. Having regard to the lapse of time, however, and to the fact that one class of the employers had agreed to the preference clause being inserted in the award, we have decided to insert it."

The proprietors of the following eleven private hotels arc included as parties: — Cargen. Stonehurst. Radnor. The Mansions. Glenalvon. Ventnor (Devonport), Hinemoa. King's Court, Arundel, Sonoma and The I.angham.

NIGHT BAKING CONTINUED. In the Operative Bakers' and Pastrycooks dispute, the principal point at i&sue was whether night baking should be continued against the strongly expressed wish'of the workers. This arrangement the Court has not seen fit to disturb. "The Court, no doubt, as indictitod in the memorandum to its last award, was desirous of abolishing night work." states the memorandum, " but thn evidence adduced at the hearing of this dispute has satisfied it that this was impracticable in some misincose;. The Court has reserved to itself the right to suspend the award and make special provisions with regard to automatic bakeries, if it should think fit to do so after hearing further evidence on the point in other parts of the Dominion. The award is based on that recently granted in Dunedin, and provides the same -wages—£3 10/- a week for foremen, and £3 for journeymen. EARLY HOURS FOR FARRIERS. The only disputed point in the Auckland Farriers' and General Blacksmiths' dispute was whether the Auckland City < ouncil and certain public carriers should be allowed to start work in their employ earlier than the regular starting time for the purpose of shoeing their horses without the payment of the overtime rates applicable in other cases. "The evidence on this point," the memorandum states, " satisfied the Court that ithe exigencies of business made it reasonable that in the cas« of the cm- : plovers mentioned and for the limited ; purpose above-mentioned the special provisions which existed in the last award i affecting this industry should bo rej poited in the present award, and this ■accordingly has been done., with some 'slight modifications. THE ENGINE DRITEE-S. With regard to the Auckland Certificated Engine Drivers' award, the Court [ points out that dairy factories have been i struck out of the list of parties, and I that a partial exemption has been granted to the Auckland City Council ;"(waterworks, destructor, abattoirs, and j electric light plant) so long as praent ! condition* of employment are main- : tainrd, that other engine-drivers in its J employ shall receive wages and overtime 'as provided in the present award, and ; that the general conditio-.w of the Local i Bodies' labourers' Award are observed- ; The minimum wage and the payment of overtime have been similarly safeguarded in tire case of the freezing companies, Auckland Gas Co., the cement companies, New Zealand Paper Jlills, Kempthorne, Prcsser and Co., the Takapuna Tramways and Ferry Co.. and certain local bodies. In other respects the award is based on the recent Wellington award.