DING AND BIRTHDAY PRESENTS. .

Press, Volume LVIII, Issue 11006, 2 July 1901, Page 3

DING AND BIRTHDAY PRESENTS. .

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been unable to file it on account of tho shortness of time. An adjournment would enable this counter claim to be put in. The Chairman said that he _could not gran* an 'adjournment on this account solel y* "' _■ iv v -i •Mr Dryden, represejiting the Mosgiet Company, asked whether the cases could not be taken together. The Chairman replied that this could bo dons if the others consented. Tihe Chairman also ruled that the employers were properly

before the Board. - ... , . •Mr Blackwell renewed his objection that the authorities of the" representatives of the Union had been signed by unauthorised persons. The Chairman said that this was a matter which did not affect the Board. He could only deal with the employers individually and not as members of a Union. Mxßlackwell.submitted that the Em-plorers'•-'Union was in existence when the and on that account they should '> have been cited as an Association. He saiil that .the log before the Court was not the one previously submitted. The Chairman said that the case „ could not go on until an affidavit had been lil<-1 by the secretary of the Union that notices had been sent to all the members of the Union, before the calling of the meeting which passed the resolution authorising proceedings to be taken. Mr Blackwell stated that he did not wish fo take advantage of any merely technical objection. He suggested thai a conference should be held between the remen and the employers, and a lbg'could prohably be arranged. ■-.Mr - Revell said that the employees of the Kaiapoi Factory were perfectly willing to hold a conference, but the secretary of the Company had advised them that a New Zealand Employers' Association was being formed, and the conference would have to be- held with them. The Union did not lesl inclined to combat the whole of the New Zealand employers, seeing that they did not know the conditions of labour existing in other parts of New Zealand. * The Chairman mentioned that the goods of the Kaiapoi Con-,p*any were interchangeable, and that the log would have to apply to the w-ote-of New Zealand. ,'._. .. _ . Mr Revel,., iri reply, repeated that, tne Union did,notJknow what were-the conditions of labour existing ..elsewhere. After further discussion, the. Chairman asked whether there were any points in the log which could be agreed upon. Mr Blackwell said that the log the employers intended to submit was in direct conflict with the Union log. He considered that it would be better if the two logs could be considered together. Ho suggested that tlie better way would be to adI journ, and hold a conference, for the purpose, if possible, of arranging a log. An 'advance copy of the employers' log had been sent to the Uuion. . Mr Revell said that the copy he received was in the name of tho New Zealand Manu-, f acturers' Union, and he questioned whether i such a body was in existence. The Chairman said that the better way would be for the Board to adjourn, till half-past two. In the meantime a conference could take place between the parties. Mr Revell stated that th© two statements were -."■ so d iffen-en t Unit it was extremely doubtful whether any good would come of a conference. However, he would not object to a conference, as good might possibly come out of it. He added that what tbe Union delegates agreed to was subject to ratification by the executive. Mr Blackwell agreed to this, and the Board adjourned till half-past two. The conference waa held; but nothing was settled. After tbe adjournment, Mr Btackwell applied to have the ca*=es against the mills taken together.. /- With the consent of the representatives of the other mills -this was granted. The Secretary of the Union stated on oath that, proper notice had been given before the meeting was called. Mr Blackwell repeated his objection that the Secretary had no authority to give evidence, as he was, contrary to the rules of his Union, not employed in a woollen mill.

The Chairman stated that this was a inttt-t-er for settlement between the Union and its secretary. He ruled that the matter was properly before the Board. • Mr. Blackwell put in a copy of the log settled by the employers. Ha stated that the two last clauses in the Union's statement had bien agreed to. Mr H. C. Revell, in evening tlie case for •the Union, applied for leave to have the cases against the hosiery manufacturers taken in Christchuroh, and the eases against tbe mill owners heard at Kaiapoi. The employers' representatives, however, objected to this. -

The Chai-rman _ stated that the Board would give its decision on this point at the close of the day's sitting.

Evidence was then called on behalf of the Union.

James Leittead,. manager, of the Kaiapoi factory, stated*that in the past the Kaiapoi Company h&d been paying too high a rate of-wage* The mill suffered very much from competition from other mills and. from imported articles. The prices had been lowered, and the outcome of it would be that the wages would have to be cut down. If the present cutting system between employers could be abolished the wages would not have to be reduced. He had many offers from men who were willing to work for 30s a week. The men at present got paid overtime at their ordinary rate of wages. There was a reduction in the output when tbe hourwere reduced from 52 to 48, and he did not think the output would be the same if the nours were reduced to 44. Men working night work left off work early on Saturday morning, and did not return "until Monday evening. The piece work system was conducive to the beat interests,of the mill. The present means of exit he considered were sufficient. He had no objection to the Union, and none against the preference clause, provided the Union man was the best that could be obtained. He - considered tliat the work should be fairly divided.' ■: r. John Capill. wool sorter, employed by the Kaiapoi <_ompa_y for about fourteen years, stated that the sorting at the factory was of a higher grade than at the' fell- . mongers. He co_sid_vd that the sorters j could turn out as much work in a year, working 44 hours per week, as when working 48, for slack tame coiil d then be made up. He preferred time work to piece work. | bcouring was a, most important process, and

should only be done- by highly cc_ipet___3 men. , -J The "Chairman stated that the. Board , would visit Kakipoi on Thursday next. j Mr J. Dryden, manager of the Ashbur? j ton branch of tha Mosgiel Factory, in _*_*-j dressing- the Board,' stated that tho wages ', paid at Home were much less than wene I paid here, and the hours wero longer. On j ■this .account the New Zealand m__s wore i severely ha_d_jappedi, and would bo st__ further handicapped ii the hours wero re-*

duced .te 44 hours. . " The CJoutrt then adjourned until 10 o'clock: on Th_rs_ay. mornhag Mext, when further evidence will be heard at Kaiapoi. The. case against tho hosiery manufacturers will.' be begun at Christchurch at 11 a.m. on' Monday nest.