ARBITRATION COURT.

Auckland Star, Volume LI, Issue 227, 22 September 1920, Page 7

ARBITRATION COURT.

■ ■ _ QUESTION OF MINER'S STATUS. NURSERYMEN'S DEMANDS. BONUS TO VARIOUS TRADES. The Arbitration Court continued its sittings in Auckland to-day, Mr. Justice Stringer presiding. The question whether under the court's interpretation miners should be classed as skilled workers, was raised in an application by the Ohinemuri mines and batteries employees (Mr. Parker), and a ruling on the point was sought. Mr. Parker stated that an agreement had been entered into in April last. The workers now desired increased wages and a reclassification was necessary. His Honor said the application meant that the court was asked to revise an agreement deliberately entered into. . Mr. S. E. Wright, for the employers, 6aid he did not wish to prevent discussion on the point as to whether mining was skilled labour, but the employers did not admit that it came under the heading of such work as laid down by the court in relation to industries. His Honor said the agreement in force would expire in April, 1921, and an application for reclassification might then be made. Mr. Parker said that if the court did not see fit to vary the agreement, it was no uso proceeding with the applica* tion. NURSERYMEN AND GARDENERS. The demands of the nurserymen, gardeners and seedsmen were set forth by Mr. A. O'Neill. He said the verms of the award hud been agreed to with the exception of hours of <work, wages and preference clause. The demands were for a 44-hour week and the following wages: Nursery hands, 2/i) per hour; carters, 2/0; men iv charge of various departments, £6 10/ per week; casual -hands, 3/ an hour. Evidence was given for the employers that the work was fairly light, and that 48 hours was a I reasonable working week in the circumstances. v It was agreed to strike out the City Council from the parties, as a special award was being sought for its employees. His Honor said the proposed preference clause was "fearful an.l wonderful, as full of holes as a colander." The court was prepared to give the usual clause, failing anything else. Mr. O'Neill: We desire compulsory 1 unionism. His Honor: You will have to go to the Legislature for that. The decision was reserved.