ARBITRATION COURT.

Auckland Star, Volume L, Issue 253, 24 October 1919, Page 5

ARBITRATION COURT.

SOFT GOODS EMPLOYEES. INCREASE FOR SENIORS .SOUGHT. Several disputes were heard at the Arbitration Court, over -which his Honor Mr. Justice Stringer presided, this morning. With regard to the Auckland Retail .Soft Goods Employees' dispute, which was adjourned for a conference, Mr. Morterwon, for the Union, said they had met, Ibut could not arrive at an agreement. The Union had suggested with regard to the fourth year that as it was claimed that the rate of £2 15/ was too high in proportion to the others, 10/ be taken off this and transferred to the senior men. As an alternative it was suggested that the 10/ he split and that ■">/ be added to the rate for the senior male assistant and 5/ to that for the senior female assistant. It was considered also that the period of apprenticeship was too long and that some alteration should be made in this respect. With regard to the storemen and packers, they -would like the Wellington award as it stood to apply to Auckland. ! .Mr. •Wright said in reply to the request, for an increase for seniors that the trade was one in which smartness and experience counted for a good deal, and if smartness was shown promotion followed fairly rapidly. The minimum was not by any means the maximum. He pointed out that the long apprenticeship only applied to girls and youths under sixteen years, and the older the apprentice was the shorter the term asked for. An eighteen-year-old apprentice only had to serve four years, and an apprentice twenty years of age only had to serve two years' apprenticeship. The Court reserved its decision. DAIRY EMPLOYEES. NO AGREEMENT. Mr. Wright reported that no agreement had been arrived at in respect of the Dairy Employees' dispute, which was adjourned a few days ago. The employers proposed to increase the minimum rate by 3/, and also by a commission on shop accounts collected, which would average at least 1/ per week, and which most of them were not receiving at the present time. This would bring the minimum practically to £3 12/0, and would not reduce the rates for the others. Mr. Blood-worth said the Union could not see its way to accept this offer as it seemed rather like increasing the lower paid men at the expense of the others. Tlie Court reserved its decision. ROTORUA COAOH DRIVERS. NEW AWAItD ASKED. The Rotorua Coach Drivers' Union applied for a new award. It was that the -wages for all drivers be £4 per week, with C 3 10/ per week for stable and garage employees, li was asked, further, that the hours be reduced from (10 to 48 per week, that casual rates he fixed at 2/ per hour and overtime at 2/0 per hour. Mr. G. Davig. who appeared for the Union, called evidence in support of the claims. Mr. Wright, for the employers, pointed out that under the old award the minimum was £2 10/ and that employers had increased this up to £'.', and £3 5/ for coach <I rivers. He sulunitted that it would he impossible owing to the nature of the business to conveniently work less than CO hours per week. There had, he said, been a considerable fullinir off in the returns of late, but no reduction,ill the staffs had been made though the work was intermittent. Some latitude must be allowed in the conduct of a business of this nature. The Court reserved its decision.