FARM LABOURERS' DISPUTE.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 233, 25 June 1908, Page 8

FARM LABOURERS' DISPUTE.

■ » ——' _ ■ RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE BOARD. PREFERENCE TO UNIONISTS'. (Br TELEOBAPn. —PRESS ASSOCIATION.) ' Chrlstchurch, Juno 24. The recommendations of the Board of Conciliation in tho farm labourers' dispute 'wero made public .to-night. • • . . > ( . The preliminary, report stated that the Board was of opinion that tho evidence taken ;revealed an absence of uniformity in tho returns, that wero now being made by capital to labour in the-, country' agricultural industry. That was shown in varying degrees in the hours worked, and conditions under which tho work .was being done, and the . wages paid. Whilst the desirability of regulating tho"hours was urged .by the union,,less objection ■ was' taken' to tho irregularities of. time than to' wages and conditions. Tho employers themselves, supplied conclusive evidence of the divergent views , hold as to tho value of the return" that justice demanded should be made to' labour under the heading of board, arid lodging, evidence being given by numerous employers showing that the cost of that item was any sum from 7s. to. 16s. per w.eok. The effect of the erratic system, or, want of system, regarding wages was that the farmer who did not pay more than' 20s. was working his farm at a cost of 50 per cent, less for labour than the farmer who was paying 30s. Consideration of such irregularities naturally prompted tho question, why if some farmers could afford to pay the higher, rates should not all ? - Tho evidence showed ■ that the term board and lodging in connection with , farm'life conveyed a very different meaning from what was generally' understood by that term.. Tho evidence also disclosed that in. a great many cases tho quarters allotted.to the workers left a great deal l to be desjred as to space,' convenience, and general comfort. After going into the whole-ease as directed by the Court; the 'Board considered; that the proposed working rules. attached to the report would be;a fair and reasonable settlement of the dispute. The recommendations summarised, as follow: — ' ' . , HOURS 0E S WORK., 'f** For Not more than eight hours, excopt ■; at harvest time, when ten hours may bo worked. Half an hour to bo allowed .for breakfast and one -hour for dinner. A ploughman is, defined as a man wholly or.partially engaged to work.with,and attend to horses. Hours of work of day labourers arid general ,'f'arih hands not to exceed eight per day, exclusive of one for dinner. Hours for harvest .work not to excoed ten per day, exclusive of two hours for meals. "

■■" , •' WAGES. ' : . Ploughman, 245., with additional ' 2s. .for each horse over four. Smart ploughing with six horses, 30s. per week, wages to be'in addition to.board and lodging. Ploughmen's wages to cover "tho necessary attendance to horse's on Sundays. General farm hands, 245. j in addition 'to board. Day labourer's, Gs. 6d. per'day. Casual labourers, Is. per hour. Men employed at • draining,' Is. per hour. Giim, boots to . bo. supplied. by employer.. "Harvest hands, except stackers, £2 •los. per week: or lsi 3d. per . hour,, with board. Stackers, £3 a week, or Is. 6d. per hour, with board. Boys' - wages: 17 years, 155.; 18 .years, 17s. 6d.;' 19 years, 205.; 20 years, 225'.. 6d. ; 21 years, 245.'; all ; in addition to board. Overtime to'be paid for at the rate of tim 6 and, a quarter;' Sundays, time and a half,except for necessary time occupied in attendance on : horses and cattle.: • . , ' HOLIDAYS. ' Holidays are to be allowed on New Year's Day. Good Friday, Easter Monday, Christmas Day, and the day. of the local sports. Seven days to be allowed ploughmen annually in addition. All holidays to bp on .full pay. BOARD AND LODGING. ' Board and lodging must include sufficient food of good quality, including butter and . jam, clean bedding, i soap and candles, or lamp. Fire shillings weekly to be allowed extra if the'men have to cook' their 'own food. OTHER MATTERS. Underrate workers may bo employed subject to conditions laid down, but a permit to work for, less than the minimum wago cannot be . granted for a larger period than six months., . The usual preference is granted to unionists, and an employer cannot in the dismissal of his 'workers- make any.' discrimination against members of the union.' Nothing, hoiyover, is to prevent the continued employment of workers now in the employment'of any employer, although such workers' may not be or become membors of the union. - , Nothing in the recommendations is to affect the arrangements made between an omployer and members of his family, and nothing is to restrict the liberty of farmers in helping: each other in farm work. Nothing, in the clauses referring to general farpi hands is to operate either as regards hours or wages when a worker is engaged in milking ,or attending to cows, but hours and wages of such workers are to be fixed by mutual arrangement.' . '• In "connection with ;{he sheep-owners' case, tho Board were of opinion that it "was not desirable to interfere with existing conditions'., A .memorandum i§ attached that las no reference was made to the dairying industry in the union's.demands, and as tho Board of Conciliation's' work was restricted by the ordor of tho Court to the union demands, no reference was' made to' the dairying industry in the' Board's recommendations. . Minority reports have also been prepared 'by tho employers' and' the workers' representatives on the' Board respectively, ;but these havo not yet been made' public.