ARBITRATION COURT.

Press, Volume LIX, Issue 11394, 3 October 1902, Page 7

ARBITRATION COURT.

BANGEWORKERS , DISPUTE

"1 The \rbitrati(m Court continued it« *m 'oh in (."iirirU'hiirch yesterday, when PI ifcSiWintor Hall and J- 1- »»tf «p»a| E*££ j ford, and J. Treblecock for the "1 JLrt-workm' Union. I rh» cmp'.o.v" riud were:—Meeens I c«tt Bw.' T '- J - W«"«™. T - Atkinson'. I jSpbnm .n.i Son*. «,n«l J. Troup (Cw« c«i'idtti"n.« proposed by the UhioY .#«• as M'< w • — T,w ' recognised regular i S of work to be from 7.45 a.m. to 5 m on iiv.' 'i-vy °f ,I,e VPek > an « Irnm ?45 am to 12 noon on the recognised fcetory half-hMid.-y. Mibjrct to forty-eight hSein, cmniderrd a full week* work; Wood that, overtime ntts to be paid. IKhWd a public holi,ill - v interro,ie - tho tim< -' u«t for Mitii holidiiy to be di-ducted from the toty-eight hours. V.d m>t from the overtime The following overtime rates to be rj>j im . a nd ;i ijunrter for the first two Cnra- time and n half f«i' <-'V«ry *übsennent' hour. Double time to 'bo pr.id for Si work done on Sunelnjm. N>w Yearn Day, GoodFriduy. Ewter MomUv, Sovereign PirthdAV litibour Day, mid (linrtmae Day. T he minimum rate of wages for Lrnermon range-iittm and polwbera -o be niw shillings l»r day. lho mininrnm rat* of vr9 S w for journeymen employed ac gnndeie to he Shi shilling per *?• A«y operative en. iraeed in the track-, who should be deemed infit to earn the above rate of wage* iiu«ht have hi* cafe rrfcrred to the President of ihe locil Conciliation Hoard, who should decide whet remuneration should be paid to inch operative, nml hist decision should be ejui and binding on aJI parties. Th« rtnnber of apprentice* to b... one to every thr« jflurneymen fully employed during the nperiou* «ix months, "nnd their wages to be It the MllowiD? ratffl p<r week: —For the first rear. Tβ 6d; for the second year, 12a sd; for the third year, V7s 6d: for the fourth year, 22e 6d: and for the fifth year, 50. Jfembers of <ho Union to be employed jij 'preference to non-unionieto, providing Hey were capable of performing th« work required to be done, and are willing to undertake it-. I" tne event of a man working «t a dUtance from the shop, bo ehould be paid for his time and all expense* incurred in travelling to and from the work. Mr Woods utaled that the claim of the worker* ««• virtually the industrial agreement of Dunedin, which the Union wae prepared to accept, and Jt was for the employen to thovr why that agreement should not be ttcfpUd. Mr Hall said that the employe** accepted the proposed condition*, with the exception of the clause* dealing with the minimum rate of wages, the employment of apprentices, ud preference to uniouiete. Evidence wee then given on behalf of the unployere. John L. Scott stated that if the wages were increased it would increase the cost tt production, and make the margin between ihe mantifactured and tho impo.rted article too fine. As it was the range-making business did not make the profit* it ehould Tie landed cost of a certain portable range «w £3 6s, a price let* than a similar range could be manufactured for in Chrifttohurch. Hie firm had intended to manufacture register grates, and had actually obtained the moulds, whentho award in the Moulders' Dispute rendered it impossible to go on irith the work. He could get hie range* manufactured very much more cheaply by tending the pattern* Home, and having the cittings made there, and then sent out to rim again in a knock-down condition ready to be set up. If the award increased the wages of range-makers and granted the conditions demanded by the Union, he would And it necessary to reduce hie hands, a* he had had to do when tho Moulders' award was given. He objected to the restriction of boys in the range-making trade, for the / work was particularly suitable for boys, and - wan by no means of a skilled character. The S restriction of boy* would also increase the codt of production. :-' ' Thomas John Watter* and H. Hepburn ' thn gave evidence. Jamefl Ford, colled by the Union, etated J>e had been about twelve years at the j range-making, working for Mr Scott. The ' witness read a letter from Sbatlock, of Dunedin, stating that, an a mult of an agreement, 9s per day was paid by that firm to the workers. It was not possible for en employee to pick up the fitting in a few I month*.

further evidence on behalf of the Union wee given by Messrs W. McCallmn and M. Morion Mr Woods addressed the Court for the Union, and Messrs Scott and Hall replied for the employer*. Hie Honour stated that the award would be eiven within the next week. The Court ttun adjourned till half-past ten this morning.