THE BUILDING TRADE.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 641, 19 October 1909, Page 11

THE BUILDING TRADE.

-ASSOCIATION'S ANNUAL REPORT. ' : UNIFORM CONDITIONS WANTED. .' .'■ Tho. annual.ropijrt;of p .;tho'Wollington Builders' and Contractors' Association for ttio year" 1908-9: has bcon issued, and a summary of it is 'as follows;— ■ . ' v'"tlid,l)Oilding;trado was the first to feel.the' 1 financial stringency, as, owing to tho difficulty which owners found in securing moneys on loan for building "purposes at a reasonablo rato of interest, a largo number, of .proposed bilildings' wore not gono on\rith, and a great number of employees in tho trade were thrown out of work.' Notwithstanding .this, the majority of, members havo rccoived a. full share of the available contracts,-and there eesins every prospect of business.reviving and the Dominion experiencing a return'of the. prosperity, which it-has enjoyed for so long. The moinbership of tho - association'has saffered to a: limited extent only, and \ tho good work offeotcd by ,;it : ih .tho: interests of. members has been of material value to-tho trade. '~ . ■;'. .>,■■/:': . Trado^pisputes.'' ;/'■■.:. :'!The constant , proniotion of disputes by' each section of workers employed in tho building trade has created a demaud.for a comprehensive, scheme th'at:'will secure one , 'set or working conditions.for jill. .Efforts have been made' •'to have:the.varions:branches'of'the trade declared related by the Governor-in-Council in: with the: provißions.: ; .of..the Arbi-, i tration Act'tnVthe llinUter for. Labour can-: not'sed , his'way to , move iii tho matter. The. proposal.: has been submitted to tho .various', unions whoso members wo'ttld be affected, and; .has, gonerally.sneaking; .been-woll ircccived by. them. 'They bavo assisted the scheme by agreeing, to ■ awards recently made-cipiring on.one dafe. July 31,'ipiO. ,: - ' '..■., •.• ..."The.bricVlayers''dispute has, with the ex--1 ception of the "questions of rato of wages and. preferoncb, been settled by'agreement with re-: presentativeeof the union. The points still in dispute wi11..,b0 decided by the Arbitration; Court'a't its next sitting here. ■ ' ' . 'The Carpenters' and Joinors union has seenred; an i award v :ior noriodf months, 'expkihg':onVjuly:■ 31"nexf'year,''"Tho award was-mado-ae-the result^of-osreenicnt.be-., tyreen.tho assessors of both.6idcs, sitting in conference "nhdef. thn chairmanship of the v ciliation Cbramissioner for the district. Somo dissatisfaction'was with certain, pro-; visions in .tho new award, but it was'/deemed' advisable; as the.aifanl was'of-short-deration,; to-accept it, and,to inform the ArbitrationCourt that.it was accepted on the understand-' ing that the terms- of Ithe award should not; prejudice' employers , , interests in any future , dispute. . ..":'-'i-'-v •■■',. '■'■■'.':. ■; "When the esisting .awards expiro it will dc•'volve upon this , if it■ deskes; to so-: 'cure one .award: co'veriag all brancUes of the. 'tra'de.itoitake-the initiative and commence proceedings 'under.the Act a "course, that is seldom adopted by employers, but one; (that.seems advisable in'-.this , case. _' •..'•.

3; ■'■' Arbitration Act Amendments, : :V "Doubtless;' 'result''of of; awardsby workers,-.-and of-tlie. protests.of em-; ployers-against the.';inoqaitaWo 6{lpratiou. ot the "'Arbitration 'Act, , ! ah',■: .amending-'"Act' was. 'passed by , ]&riiam<uit ; last'SoMi6n,;which makes; more adequatep'roYi6ion-.fo'r ithe nrinisljniDnt of 'strikers. , and .improves the-'inethod] of ing disputes. , Employers lobjeclito the 'hearing'; of enforcement .cases.by, magistrates, it being contendedithat;the/Court-maklngthdaward is .th'e..-.pfoper.:., tribunal to. interpret ,ib■ .. The omending-Act isTecpgnised as;an.improvement: ■ahd-as. an, hbnest';'attompt\to.'rectiiy -,tho in-: eqUalitiesAof ; -thp- prpyioiis'..VActs,;but,;will ro'qiiire"f uTthe'r'ahiehdmerit before it lhay bo con-' sidered, fair' in its operation'to both .workers,! . and .'employers: , . •■• : ■ : "'. ".-■"f',y*. ~>\ '■•:. '_:, .;..:,;--..;.;:,Preference. -.- ; '.;■-. ..•..-..■•.. I' "Recent '.decisions 'and ..utterances : in' the 'Arbitration , '. Court -yhf^e-'■'■caused 'employers ■tureug'h'out 'New 'Zealand to . reconsider - the Granting-of preference to unionists, rind, rose.! Tiitions lmro been -adopted.by various associations of employers to the effect that.,prefcrence "ishould^nbi'bo J agreed..ttibyt'.ompldyors undei; any circumstances. ; It •is the intention of : tuo iassociationi.-to radopfc, this ticable in future./ . ■•.. '' "It"will"interest , n]embersrto-*foioi^.ttat--the-- ■ ox-president, of'the.association,^Mr. .\V,;.Hiß.cnnett, is now on his way to' Sydney to' attend t-tbe Australian,. as _Hie ichoson Federated Builders;. :Mr'. Bennett Will wortliily rei present,theJDominiqn,and thai ■ with;*a ( ttiri£ofMormation .thai 'mil prove oTvalue'-fo. ldcal'.buildcrs and to thf trade generally....;; ■' ./(,.-<';•,..; -."\ : '■ \'■'■s■ ;...'-,; "- Xhanps; thatare'JNeeileil.. ,-."■■- ■ ■'"The year now. being-'entered "upon promises ~to prpye to. cifr.build■'ersarid corifractorV,: ns all 'awards affecting the 'trado'iwjir.eipiro'fn-'July^next,-after which n i , 3 , ' : proposed-'''that s tho , 'association should.seek : .t6i!obtam' one;:set'-of ■. awards.-.-.cohditions,". ■ and ■ hours'that will'apply ,to all'tclasses of workers employed. In addition, tho.New Zealand In-, ■'■ stituto of; Architects has- intimated de'■sires 'to.have'r&vis'ed' the ■.-general-conditions of ■' contract under, which' , , contractors throughout Jfow'.Zealand:haVo been working for the past four years';;'Tnis'-jnatter will:be dealt. 'with-by"tho' r i'edorated .'Builderg'. Association,-, .and , ,will form oneof'the'i.priacip-al subjects for , discussion at the" 'approaching annual conference to ,be held at Christchurch on Nayember 2. The of such• vital-importance.'tb;thq':trade'should: 'convinco.all/builderii worthy-';6f.'the name thai satisfactory results: canionlj be secured, 'by, combined action, and' that it is' clearly: thiur : dutv to assist in.this eßsontial;n;ork..by. bßCom.:ing"r>niembers 'of;• the. BullderSxi-Association;; in their, centrea.""'," '■':'■'■.■;■- f ' ■'■ *'-"- ,, ; '.";;,..:. : ;'