ARBITRATION COURT.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 43, 14 November 1907, Page 4

ARBITRATION COURT.

TAILORS' AWARD. Tlio Court resumed its sittings yesterday morning. Mr. Justice Sim (president) nnd Messrs. 11. Slater (workers , 'representative), and L. Drown (omployers 1 roprescntativo) took their seats lit 10.30 o'clock. The case. Inspector of Factories v. M. Cohen, tailor, Maiinors Street, was mentioned again. Respondent was, it will bo remembered, charged with having committed a breach of the Wellington Tailors' award by distributing work on what is known as tho team system. At tho hearing, it was contended by Mr. Herdman, on respondent's behalf, that, as ho carried on tho business of a ladies' dressmaker, tho provisions of tho award did not apply to him. On Tuesday morning, the Court gave judgment on the point, holding that, if respondent made what were known as tailor-mado garments, then to tho extent of that work ho camo within the scopo of the award. Further consideration of tho matter was postponed to enable the Inspector of'Faotories and Mr. Herdman to confer with reference to tho facts. After a brief discussion, His Honour said that it had not been proved that respondent had committed a breach of the award, and the case should, therefore, be treated as ono of interpretation. If. the Department wcro satisfied that. tho respondent manufactured tailor-made garments, it could bring a fresh case.

■ BUTCHERS' AWARD. In reply to an inquiry, tho Court intimated that it would hear ovidonco at Napier and Palmdrston North in tho butchers' dispute.

' SAWMILL AND TIMBER YARD WORKERS' DISPUTE. ' HEARING CONTINUED. Tho hearing of the Sawmill and Timber Yard Workers' dispute was then proceeded with, v ■• \- • ■ ■ •■- ■ ■ Mr. , Grenfell appeared on behalf of tho employers, and Jlr. M. J. Reardon represented tlioj Union. ' ' His Honour pointed out that the Wairarapa employers desired'to bo heard in Palmerston North. . ' ' '» Mr. Reardon' said that the Union was placed at a disadvantage owing to tho fact that the Court had decided to sit only in Napier-and Palnierston North besides Wellington. ' The Conciliation Board had, ho siiid, held sittings at Masterton, Dannovirke, Wangamiij Napier, Palnierston North, and Wellington, and the Union had assumed that >he Court would also sit in all these places. The most .important witnesses which tho Union intended to call in support of the demands in respect of tho country districts resided at Wanganui and Dimncyirkc. Tho position was rather an unfortunate one for tho Union.

His Honour said that tho Court would liko to know the nature of the evidence which could be given by tho witnesses at tho places which tho Court had not time to visit. It Was, he might point out, a pure waste of time to take tho evidence of workers who would/ merely say that the demands of tho Union were reasonable, just as it was to hear an employer who morely stated that tho demands wero unreasonable. What the Court wanted to hoar was not mero expressions bf opinion, but ovidenco bearing on tho matters in dispute. As a rule, tho Court was greatly assisted by the discussion between the representatives of the parties. i Mr. lioardon said that the witnessos in question would prove that tho work was uncertain and dangerous.

His Honour remarked that tho members of tho, l CP,urt (which had heard a number of similar disputes) could be,. trusted to know something,.ab,Qut,.,thq conditions. Tho Union 'sliould "nalce tip it's' mind with rcferenco to the grounds upon which it would ask the Court to alter tho existing award. Tho Court wanted facts, not moro opinions.

Mr. Ueardon said that the witnesses , in' the Dauneyirke district would provo that they were being paid higher wages than wore fixed, by the old award, and were proposed in the new recommendation; also, tlmt if i they were offered lower wages they would refuse to work at all. His Honour pointed out. that that was a very important fact. ; Mr. Rcardon, replying to the Court, stated that there were separate provisions in respect of the town and country districts in tho old award, and that the Conciliation Board had made separate recommendations. Mr. Grenfell mentioned that tbo Dannovirko omploynrs desired to bo heard at Palmorstori North. ■ Mr. Reardon said that if the Court could not sit at Wanganui and Dannevirkc enoriribus ■" expensp would bo incurred. His Honour: Enormous .''expense-? : Mr., Heardon: : Well, at least a pound a day for each' witness. :' His Honour: 'You aro not speaking by tho card. ( Mr. Roardon remarked that the Union had noiobjection to tlie application.of the Wairarapa employers. Tho Union felt suro that the recommendation. of tho Board would bo accepted by country employers generally. If the Court were propared to accept tl>oso poriions of the recommendation hot objected to by the employers the whole dispute would bo narrowed down to a. few items o,n which it would be necessary/to call evidence If tlie whole case were' reopened the Union would apply for concessions, but in order to facilitate proceedings its members would accept the recommendation. At this stage Mr. C. Foster, secretary of the Wellington Enginedriyers' Union, asked the Court not to make provision with referenco to onginedrivers in the now award, as such workers came under the enginedrivers' 'award. Mr.'Rcardon objected on tho ground that in the opinion of the Union tho recommendation 'iglitly made no distinction between servicb and competency certificates—a question which had been a bqup of contention for years —and also because the wages recommended were slightly higher.

Tho Court intimated that the matter would bo duly considered.

RECOMMENDATION OF THE BOARD. The Conciliation Board, haying heard tho parties, recommended, inter alia, that 45 hours should constitute a week's work in thrf City of Wellington, and within a radius qf ten miles of tho G.P.0., and that, elsewhere throughout the industrial district, tho working week should be 46 hours. Overtime should, the Board suggested, bo paid for at tho. rate of time arid a quarter for tho first two hours, and, thereafter, at the rate of time and'ii half. The minimum rates of wages per week in respect, of factories should, it was held, be as follow:—First-class maohinist £3, second-class machinist £2 145., first sawyer or headman at breaking down bench £3, second sawyer £2 145., enginedriver holding first-class certificato £3, ongine-drivcr holding second-class certificate £2 145.; fireman or drivor without certificate £2 Bs., first-class cooper £3, second-class coopoi , , £2 14s;, other men in tho coopering trado £2 10s., boxmakprs £2 Bs., yardmpil £3, ordcrmeii £2 145., yard labourers £2 Bs., night-watchman (if in charge of ono mill only) £2 10s., casual labourer Is. Id. per bmir. In respect of country sawmills, tho minimum rates of wages per hour should, the Board hold, bo as follows: —Head-boncb-man Is. 4d., henchman (who does not keep his saws) Is. 3d., first breakdown man Is. 3d., second breakdown man Is. 2d., tailer-out Is. 2d., first-class machinist Is. 4d., second-class machinist Is. 2d., orderman Is 2d., cross-cutter (keeping saw) Is. 2d., other cross-cutter Is. Id., bullock driver Is. 2-Jd-i first ropoman Is. 2i1., second ropeman Ls. Id., jiickman Is. 2d., all other la!>ourers, including casual labourers, ls. Id. Tho following workers should ho paid by the week as follows: —Engine-driver holding firstclass certificate £3, engine-driver holding second-chiss certificate £2 145., fireman (imcortificated) £2 10s., yardman £3, nightwatchman (if attending ono mill only) £2 10s. The following should bo the minimum rates of wages per week for youths throughout the industrial district, whether in respect of factories and country sawmills alike:—l 6 to 17 years, 155.; 17 to 18 years, 205.; 18 to 19 yoars. 255.; 19 to 20 years,

305.; 20 to 21 years, 355. Subject to certain conditions,- preference should, it was held, always be given to the members of tho Union. CASE FOR THE EMPLOYERS. Mr. Grenfell said that the employers could not accept tho recommendation in its'entirety. They practically accepted the definition of first and second-class machinists, but thought that machinists should not bo required to do the work of an engineer. Tho omployers wishod a variation of tho intorprotation regarding first and second-class sawyers. A firstrclass sawyer should lie required to take charge of and kocp tho saws, whilst a second-class sawyer should bo required to sharpen his saws. The employers hold that tho provisions of tho old award should apply in respect to yardmen. Tho definitions of "yard" and "'casual" labour were agreed to. He pointed out that, when tho disputo was before the Conciliation Hoard, thero had been a conflict of opinion on the question of the holidays to bo observed in the city. Tho omployers wore prepared to pay double rates for religious holidays. The Board had recommended that tho hours of labour be fixed at 45 per week, but tho employers asked the Court to retain the 4G hour working week, which had been the rulo in Wellington for over thirty years. Tlio ratos in respect of overtimo were not objected to. The present award fixed tho wages in the city on a daily basis, while tho omployers preferred that they should be fixed on an hourly basis. The Board had recommended .that town workers bo paid by the week and country workers by tho hour. The employers wished yard labour and casual labour to be paid for nt tho rate fixed by tho present award. In conclusion, Mr. Groiifcll stated that tho employers objected to prcferenco being given to unionists. Evidence for tho employers was given by J. Prouse, J. Eason, F. F. Siinkcl, J. U. Smith, R. Isbister, and J. Brown.

THE UNION'S CASE. Mr. Reardon said the only point he had to meet ( was the question of tho wages which should bo paid to yard men and unskilled labourers.

On behalf of the Union, ho coiled N. F. Marley (secretary of tho Wellington Timber Merchants' Union of Employers); W. A. Grenfell .i/sebretary of the Employers' Association), l<. J. "Lyons (secretary of the Building Trades Labourers' Union), and P. M'Ewan (a yardman). The Court intimated that tho hearing of tho dispute- would bo resumed ,at Napier, and, subsequently, at Palmerston North. ,