ARBITRATION COURT.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 275, 13 August 1908, Page 10

ARBITRATION COURT.

SAWMILLERS' DISPUTE. ■ (DT TEI.EGKArH—PRESS ASSOCIATION.) invercargill, August 12. At the Arbitration Court to-day the cass of an application for a new award by the Southlafld»Sawmillers'-Union, asking for an all-round increase in wages of 1-s. a day, occupied all tho day. Twenty-sisuwitnesses:: were called for the Union to give evidence as . to wages and conditions. . Mr. Scott,- repre-. sonting the employers, said they, could not. entertain the proposal for an increase.' The industry was suffering from a-heavy, depres-. sion owing to over-production. - Ninety per cent, of tho mills wero in rough, i country whero the cost of production was high and: the mills wero overstocked and-.had no orders coming in. The Association had already, discussed two proposals, one to close for,-a day, each week, and tho other to. shut down alto-; gether|_-but .no decision had .been. made, so far. The industry could not possibly carry tho additional . burden of increased - .wages. The evidence for the employers -will be taueiv. to-morrow.- ■ ~: . • DRIVERS' DISPUTE. - : v Masterton, "August. .12.". Seventy-four local firms have been cited". in connection with the Wellington Industrial Union of Drivers' dispute, to come' before'tho I Arbitration.Court here' shortly.' ;