CONCILIATION COUNCIL.

Press, Volume LII, Issue 15536, 11 March 1916, Page 5

CONCILIATION COUNCIL.

MOTOR-DRIVERS' DISPUTE

A sitting of the Conciliation Council was held yesterday to consider tho dispute in the motor-driving trade. Mr J. 11. Triggs, Commissioner, presided. The assessors &r the employers were Messrs R. J. Jay, W. Hayward, junr., and AV. Broadway, and for the empi oyyecs Messrs H. Hunter, C. Dunford', and Charles AVebster. Tho Union asked for £3 per week, casual drivers to be paid 1 s Gd per hour, and a week's notice in case of dismissal. A redaction of hours was also sought, with January 2nd as a holiday. For youths between 18 and 19 years of age, £'2 per week was asked, between ID and 20 £2 ss, and between 20 and 21 £2 10s.

Mr Frank Greswell, for Ballantyne and Co., asked that the drapers should not he cited. After a good deal of discussion, it was ultimately agreed that tho drapers' names should be kept on, and they could appeal to the Court.

Mr Jay stated that tho horse-drivers' case was being brought on at Auckland. This would a#ect-the case now before the Commissioner. The first clause in the claim which he took was the question of hours. If the horse-drivers were granted 4o hours and the motordrivers 48, they would have two classes of men in their employ doing the game class of work and "working different hours. Evidence was given in Wellington and Auckland which* would practically make the award a Dominion one Mr Hunter agreed with Mr Jay, and said that the horse-drivers' case in Auckland would most decidedly affect the present case. He had been in communication with the secretaries of the various unions concerned, and they considered a Dominion award was a necessary outcome.

Considerable discussion arose, ending in the xvhole dispute being referred to the Arbitration Court.