WOOLSTON WAGES.

Press, Volume LVII, Issue 17315, 29 November 1921, Page 3

WOOLSTON WAGES.

AND CITY COUNCIL SCALE. The wages of the men employed by tho old Woolston Borough Council were at the. time of amalgamation slightly higher than those paid in the city, and a request was made to tho City Council that Dhose higher rates should be continued' for the Woolston men. Tho matter wa6 referred to ' tho Finance Committee, who reported to tho Council last night that they had, given tho matter careful consideration, and recommended that the Woolston employees be paid the samo wages to< similar work dono by the city employees, and that the extra wages on. the late Woolston Borough Council a estimates be absorbed by the employment of an additional man in Woolston. A report on different lines was submitted by the Works Committee. This committee recommended that the wages be tiiio samo as paid at the time oil amalgamation until the end of the present financial year, and that any deductions made be refunded. Or. Cooke moved that the clause m the Finance. Committee's report should be held oyer unj;il the Works Committee's report was received. Vr: Sf'A.. B'lesher protested against that being done. Tho Finance Committee was tlhe proper one to deal _ with the matter, not the. Works Committee. Cr. H. Hunter said the, Works .Com-mittee-was.the proper one'to deal with. the wages of the men. A motion to hold tho clause over was carried by 12 votes to 8. When the Works Committee, report came on, Ci\ W. H. Winsor, chairman, ;moved the adoption of the report with, the exception of the clause relating to the -wages of the Woolston. men. Cr. H. Hunter appealed against the partial adoption of a report by tho chairman. A chairman 6hould accept the finding of the committee, and bring down the report as recommended by tike* committee.

Cr. ,W. H. Winsor said that he would always retain his right to object in the Council to anything he objected to in the report of the committee. Cr. Hunter's amendment was seconded by Cr. R. T>. Martin, who said hq objected to tlie principle of the chair, man of a committee proposing only the partial adoption of a report from his committee-

The Mayor said the report would bo taken clause by clause, and would be dealt with in that way. The Council divided on the question whether the Mayor should give a ruling on tlhe point as to whether the, chairman of a committee was entitled) to bring down a report different to that as arrived at by the committee, and decided by 11 votes to 8 that the Mayor's ruling should be obtained. Trie Mayor said he -would rule that Or. Winsor must bring down the whole report.

Cr. Winsor said he would present tlhe report, but would strenuously oppose, tho clause relating to the Woolston, wages.

Cr. J. A. Flesher, who moved the adoption of the clause put forward by the Finance Committee, said the City Council took the Woolston men over under the ordinary arrangement. It was unfair that there should be a difference in wages paid to men doing the same work. Cr. Hunter: Bring the wages of our men up. Cr. Flesher: Just so. That is what I expected to hear. Cr. Flesher added that the dispute over wages was another reason why amalgamation should not be effected until the end of the financial year. Or. Hunter moved the adoption of the clause in the Works Committee's report as an amendment. Cr. McGregor Wright seconded the amendment. A prolonged discussion followed. Cr. Winsor said that as a member of the Unemployment Committee, he wanted to put on as many men as possible. Even the employment of the extra man in Woolston, as was proposed by the Finance Committee, was something. Cr. H. T. Armstrong contended that the fiiiancial arrangements made -by Woolston for the year, including wagts and rates, should stand until the end of the financial year. That principle had already been adopted by the City Council in the matter of the Woolston rates. ... Cr. J. A. Flesher said there had been no breach of contract. The Woolston men were paid so much per hour by the Woolston Council, and came under the city scale when the change in employment took place: The amendment was carried by 12 votes to 8.