ARBIUTRATTION COURT.

Press, Volume LVIII, Issue 10955, 3 May 1901, Page 2

ARBIUTRATTION COURT.

THE EOOTMAKING DISPUTE.

The hearing of the bootm.iking dispute was continued at the Arbitration Court ys?terd'iy. b;ft*r- -Mr Jm-tice C-cp.r. president, *_Ir S. Brown, for tli3 employers, and .Ir R. .Slater, for th? men. Mtssrs J. A. FroFtich. A. H. Bridger, and <-. A. Coles appeared for the cmand Mcss-rs A. H. '.Jof.per, H. C. L_r.tv.-n. and T. AA'potis for the ln.n. Th;.- fvil:.r? op. b-ha!i of the cir.pioycrs was confinued. Sidn.v Smiih. boot manufacturer. Christchurch," .sutEct that he h -.d bc_n twenty years in business. The trr.d3 was decreaH"ir:il cnnsiderably. p.iui mimbrrs of mai-ufac-turtrs v. ere crii.'.ng to manufacture. Hi.' oi.tput had d-.-c:-o:i'_cd considerably within the last two years, and he intended lo decrease it still more. At thr- request of his Honour, the v.it-nes-i undertook to furnish a return showin.; the number of m:n he cmp.oyed and th; wases n:-Jd to each. To liis Honour—lt- was the custom of the trade to give a man a wc.k's ..o.ic3 when dismissing him. His hours wer.. forty-eight per'we.k. He attributt-d b.'s .u-c_.r..-_l output, to importations, and hhim_elf had b.rn forced to import low grade ladies' shuts, as he could not manuucture thrm for the money. To Mr K. Bro-wn—He had now men's im-port-xl boots coming. To his Honour—The Am.ricans r.ow were cutting the English boot manufacture out. The American b-jt.'om. we to. as a rule, rascally bad, but the boots were got up in an attractive T__-.i_r.-r, a::a this was the re._.'>n why they sold, i To Mr Drown—He could show some American soles, eon.po.ed almost eutirc-iy ot paper. To his Honour—The biggest struggle was with the retailers, as they made more profit on the American goods than on th_ | colonial. i To _li* T. Wood?—He did not consider j that under present conditions the cost of production could ba cheapened. ' To Mr S. C. Brown—He could not estij mate the quantity of goods imported. i James Thomas" Maine, a Christchurch manufacturer, stated that he had been in business in Christchurch for seven years. Two years ago the manufacturing part of the business was much greater than it was to-day. To*his Honour—He manufactured simply for his own retail business. To Mr Frostick —During the List twelve months he had started importing, as the local manufacturers could not produce the goods at the price he wanted them for. To Mr T. AA'oods—He employed about seventy-five, hands. At the request of his Honour th. witness undertook to furnish a return similar to that of the previous witness. To his Honour—His output was about 500 pairs per week. He did very little heavy work, nearly all being medium and light. He could purchase imported goods at a considerably less cost than what- was charged by the colonial manufacturers. One particular boot, the Goodyear welt, he could import for 4s less than what was charged by colonial manufacturers. It was the custom to give the men a week's notice. Robert McKinlay, a Dunedin boot manufacturer, stated that he had been in business for twenty-two or twenty-three year.. The boot and shoe industry in New* Zealand was a languishing one*. His business was exclusively a manufacturing one, for he imported nothing. He ha-d made eveneffort to maintain his business, but had been unsuccessful. Whereas some time ago he employed 110 hands, novr he employed only about eighty or ninety. To his Honour: Of his* weekly hands seven were paid at the rate of £2 per week, one at £2 2s 6d, five at £2 ss, one at £2 Bs. four at £2 10s, three at £3. There were sixteen piece hands in the benching and finishing departments. The pieceworkers earned from 30s per week upwards, but they could earn more if they liked. A week's notice was always given and lost time was deducted. To Mr S. O. Brown—Weekly wages men ivould produce more in a given time than pieceworkers, as the hatter were very irregular in their habits. The decrease in tilie number of hands would Indicate a decrease in output. To his Honour—He employ_d six clickers now; previously he had employed eight. Alfred Henry Bridger, general manager for Sargood, Son. ana Ewen, in respect, of their boot and shoe business:, stated that the boot manufacturing business in the colony was a decreasing one. His firm imported for a number of years past, and their imports were increasing. He never imported until he was driven to it, as he preferred to manufacture as much a. he could. His manufacturing output was steadily decreasing, but the general boot business was increasing. He had made every effort possible to meet outside co-m----p_t£tion. The stock of colonial-made goods he held at present was inconsistent with the volume of trade in these lines. Two years ago be employed sixteen or seventeen "clickers, now he only employed twelve, aaid no different methods had been employed in the meantime. The number of clickers formed a safe ground for ascertaining the output of a factory. To his Honour—ln the clicking department one man was receiving £2 per week, five got £2 2s 6d, two received £2 ss, one £2 7s 6d, and three £2 10s. The foreman was paid £3. There were also three boys. Two year, ago he also had three boys and a foreman. In the benching and finishing departments ten men were paid at the rate of 40s per week, nine at 42s 6d. seven at 455, seven at 47s 6d, fourteen at 50s, and four at 555. The remainder were on piecework. It was the custom to give and take a week's notice. Lost time was taken off. To Mr Frostick —He considered the sole cutter, employed in the rough stuff department, should be ranked as a skilled worker. To his Honour—His firm did not manufacture for export. William Staples, a Wellington boot manufacturer, handed in a statement showing th? wages paid to the men in his factory. He oould not say that his output was decreasing. Mr Frostick also handed in a return of the wages paid to tlie men employed in Hannah's factory, Wellington. Richard Hall Turner, a Chrisstchurch manufacturer, stated that for seventeen years he was manager for Skelton, Frostick and Co. He confirmed the previous statements as to the large proport'ori of imported goods kept by retailers. He had visited many of the towns in the North Island, and nearly all the shops refused to taJse colonial goods. Even the small country stores kept a stock of imported goods," and in many small inland towna the stor_keeiperß were Indenting their supplies direct, independent of the New Zealand houses. Nearly every manufacturer he had visited complained of the decrease in demand for colonial goods. If all was granted that was asked for by the Union it would have a serious eff.ct, especially upon ti>- smaller factories. In his factory it would mean an increased expenditure of £1000 per year, and the firm could nut stand this. He employed about thirty hands altogether. Mr Frostick read a declaration from

Mr H. Anderson, a boot manufacturer, carrying on business in Timaru, to the effect that his outmit was stea-ttly decreasing. Seventy five 'per cent- of the boots retailed in Timaru were of foreign or English manufacture, and the tendency was in favour of the proportion being increased. James Arthur Frostick, managing director of Skelton. Frostick and Co.. Limited, endorsed the previous opinions of the witnesses for his side as to the hours of labour. He had thirty y«*rs experience of the boot trade. He "visited England and America about two years ago, and was only astounded that colon-ill mamifactwere could compete as well as they did. V\ Mb his .present, experience he would never have gone into the boot manufacturing trade, but would have confined himself exclusively to imoortinsr. The money value of his gross sales was larger now than it was five years ago, but the Output of manufactured goods was .-nailer now than it was live years He wns trying to remedy this by the introduction 'of more mod*™ maclunerv. He bad imported felt slippers very Inrgelv for wx or seven years. He had madVevc-v effort to compete with foreign riari'fartt'fer'* M- Frostick also handed in a stat. aieut showing the wages paid to the nun h_ emph.vcd. . To Mr S. C. i.- : <v,vn—The importation oj i feit slii>i>c-rs did not affect the colonial t*vd<- "H" feu id tie American comper.i----t lon "far mov? than the Knglisli. for the ■Vmericars we v. .... much more up to date, ai:d ci-:*,ld p-_d_.e the goods for so jitile. In 1897, there were imported Irom America to Nov; Zealand 706 dozen pairs, valued at £'29.-9: in 1898- 1081 Un..en. vlii-d at £3632; in 1893- 1o:-.j dozen, v;"'-'-.-d a"- £6"'.'.: end iv IECO. 4515 do/.:v.. valued at £1.._C5. Y:«n Knghiiyi - thrrc hi I be-n ...p.* rd dire-.t f -o New __-: .land : In 1317. 5.,130 d'-/.r:i prir.. yaljied at £U10 : 3- : . t5.4.*.7 n__c_ p.i-.rs. valiud ut £112.327: ir. ".333- sS.'i"_2 ucyxn privs. valued mL £103,-"95: •ui-din (.3.0.-. dozen pair... valued at £lL_.bi_. This ior.__u.l.d tie evidence, i.nd the Ce-u'vt adbv-nic-d till two. Up.n tir.. Court .:-*-i-.ii*r.* -\ r Fr: ..tuli put in i:-r. of wages, h-aur*. ct... vl m.n e:iijilovid in di__-".-U ;.u..;:r.-S. _.!:•-.d Fred.-id. TocniTi'. boot nnr.r.fat.-----tur-:-_. Chr..s.?-_*.-._cb. frt.rtrd tl'.;:t h.- employed ab.r.iv, thirty hard-;. i»n ol' wh >:.i v. a', on l-ifct-v.-oiJ:. i.;:d 'h_ i_ii_.-H.er on -vii;:.. Mr Fife-tlik. in Mimn-hig i.-n tho oa.- - _ lor th. nv.ini:l"..irt;ii-.:rs, referred to -'n prints left for rrtilenient by t!;:- Court. His r-.'d-_ d.nircd tha. the I •]-.< cutter:-, should b_ r.d :'s . killed work: vs. and not a- rctiqli . .._' w.-.rk-r.-. Th? v.!.0.e qu_.ii.ii th.tt tin Court b:;d to cV-ide we..s a. tc th? ability rf th_ iv .:m'::-_t".!--:'"s t.i nay ib- lii-ii larger v.;-.-_;es !nr a siiortc-r p.r.i.d ol" w.;rk. .Mr A. H. LYoper. in reply, ..ihnii'.tr-rl th .t ib. C-.ui'i. h::d a p_i.i_rt right t'. legu'a!? th? wages and hours of ail wi.-ikmsn, wintiur .k.u.d (v r.n.k-ilrd, who belonged tr, tha Uiiiru. Ti.- wages ..-kid for the iiK-hillrd men w.is ].--.. than for the sola cutt-srs and tlis other skilled worker., and it was for the Co-art to say how much Ice., tha wages should I.?. I. .aiii'ig with the minimum w.ge. the speaker ecu.idt-red that the defence of inability to meet the increased rate had always lr.T.i pur. forward, and always would bs put forward. He contended that til?, other sid. had not proved that th? trade was in a languishing erudition. Th . in.ira**? of imports did not indicate a decrease in local pro duction. He subinirtsd that the tnioii, o. it. actions, had really improved the trade, as the manufacturers had been compelled to ob tain new machinery, and to run their factciie. on more up-to-date lines. The decision c the Court might for a while disturb trade but in a short tim? the factories would b; again working on scientific lines, as Mi Frnstiuk's was now working. Th? worker; of the colony should not be penalised by rra son of the short-sightedness of some of tin manufacturers in running their factories oi antiquated line-). _\_r Cooper quoted fron the evidence of an Auckland manufacture: before the Tariff Commission of 1895 that 8( per cent, of the boots worn in the colon} were manufactured in the colony. Tin large number of the cheap line of boots imported into the colony wen made of paper and all sorts of rubbish and would wear out in three weeks. Th consequence was that the increased nunbe r of pairs .per head would probably b accounted for by tihe fact that peoplbought in the y'eair two or three pairs o such boots. During th. last' three year the output must have been increased, see ing that a large quantity of machinery liai been introduced, and there were onb eleven men less now than there were then In most factories where the staffs hat been reduced the introduction of machine.; was tho cause. The manufacturers hai suggested no method of competing wit' foreign manufacturers except by keeping down the wages of the men. The wage were low enough. It would he impossibl for a working man to live respectably oi less than what was asked as a minimun wage. It was not fair for the other sid to expect the men to go on as they were at present. He had hoped that the question of the minimum wage could have been settled out of Court, but the Union could not give way on this, as they had to consider the welfare of their members for the next two or three years. Mr Fros-tick said that whatever else the Court of Arbitration had accomplished it had assi-ted in bringing about that excellent feeling existing between the employers and the men which had been referred to by Mr Cooper, and that Whatever the award of the Court might be, if the men would thoroughly cooperate with the employers in trying to compete with these importations, the local industry would ultimately succeed. His Honour said that the Court had derived great assistance from the Union delegates and the manufacturers' representatives. He complimented both Mr Frostick and Mr Cooper upon the excellent wav they had conducted a long and complicated 'case. The Court would take time io consider its award. The Court then rose. This morning at half-past ten, the iron moulders' dispute will be taken.