MORE PAY WANTED.

Auckland Star, Volume LXXI, Issue 88, 13 April 1940, Page 16

MORE PAY WANTED.

TIMBER WORKERS. EMPLOYERS' OPPOSITION. COURT RESERVES DECISION. (By Telegraph.—Press Association.) WELLINGTON", Friday. Various questions relating to the timber industry in Now Zealand wore argued in the Court of Arbitration today, when the employees sought a Dominion award for all industrial districts, with the exception of Canterbury, and claimed higher wages. The Xevv Zealand Sawmillcrs and Hoxmakers' Industrial Union of Employers opposed the applications for increased wages, and after hearing evidence the Court reserved its decision.

Mr. .lustice Tywlall presided, and associated with liitn were Mr. A. L. Monteith (workers' representative) and Mr. \V. E. Anderson (employers' representative). Messrs. I". L. Tiirlcy (<irevmouth) and F. Craig (Auckland) appeared for the workers, and Messrs. A. Seed and 11. J. Bishop represented the employers.

In assessing the rate to lie paid to hushnien. Mr. Turlev submitted, the Court should keep in mind three main points—the actual value of the work ]>erformed. the danger involved in the performance of the work, the climatic conditions under which the work must necessarily lie ]ierformed, and the isolated nature of operations.

The union claimed an annual holiday over and above the statutory holidays.

Mr. Turlev produced figures and statistics in support of his argument for increased remuneration for worker® and said the rate of production a day was more under the -10-hour, five-day week than previously under the 48-hour week of six days.

Submitting the case for the employers. Mr. Seed said his figures would show that, the output per man had not increased under the 40-hour week. The shorter hours worked had been offset to some extent by improved methods of production.

Mr. Seed said he could not agree that the sawmillcrs were getting the returns mentioned in figures supplied by Mr. Turlev. If they were they could afford to pay higher wages, but the facts were that an extreme case had been quoted and actual returns were very much lower.

Timber prices were regulated and strictly limited, Mr. Seed continued, and only a small margin was allowed for interest and return of capital on wasting assets. No increases in timber prices had been admitted except to me»t increased costs to the industry, and if costs were further increased by higher wages and paid holidays application would have to be made for an increased price for timber.