CLOTHING TRADE AWARD.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1705, 24 March 1913, Page 11

CLOTHING TRADE AWARD.

STATEMENT BY THE HON. J. T, PAUL. • (By Telegraph.—l'resa Association.) Dunodln, March 19. Tho Hon, J. T. Paul, president of the clothing trado workers, stated today that ho considered _ a Dominion award governing tlio clothing trado was exceedingly disappointing, as with but one exception it liiado no improvement in tho conditions of tho clothing trade workers. That exception was that an increase of 2s. 6d. pel* week was granted in the minimum Wago of journeywonien who havo been at tlio trado ior ' five years. Mr. Paul spoko very emphatically cil different wages to female and ma'le machinists. He said: "The Court provides for a minimum wago of .£2 15s. lor male machinists. What a discrepancy exists between a woman's wage of 275. Od. and «£2 15s. provided for male machinists, as both do identically the saino work. In no other case lias the Court granted any improvement. _ Disappointment is all the greater in view of the fact that the minimum wage for a, highly skilled cutter is *£3 per week in Australia. I think tho Court has frn en. insufficient consideration to tho workers, and has been overawed by threats ot some employers to close their factories. I think the public, when it understands tlio conditions audi wages fixed by tlio new award, will share our disappointment."

A MANUFACTURER'S OPINION. (By Telegraph.—Press Association.) Dunedin, March 21. In conversation with a reporter, a representative of a Dunedin clothing nll"iufacturer stated that ho considered that Hie Hon. J. T. Paul's criticism of the award made in connection with tlio clotliing trado was most unfair. He said that Mr. Paul had shown great partisanship, and, in some instances, had-over-stated the case. With the exception of. highly-skilled coat hands, in the retail tailoring trade, 275. Gd. is the highest wige that has been fixed by the Court for any branch of female work. The Court, in raising the wage from 255. to 275. Gd., had donS ample justice to tailored. In fact, many journey-women in New Zealand were receiving to-day considerably less, and seeing the way ill which the importations in the trade are piling up, and the fact that tile increased cost cannot be passed on to the publio, the Court has given tlio female operatives a very fair deal* and 0110 that must materially increase the cost of production in an already>6verburdened industry. The demands promulgated by. the union itself asked for 30s. for female machinists, as against something ovor. M foi< male operators. With rejard to the wages, of cutteW;i trimmers, and pressors, the clothing manufacturers felt sure from tho beginning that the Court could not nossibly increase these wages, as the more highly skilled workers in connection with the retail _ tailoring trade agreed over and over again to. the same wages as those fixed by the Court some time ago, and re-enacted in tho present award. It must be remembered that theso workers .luave weelrily employment, whereas in many skilled trades they have hourly employment. Tho waees fixed aro in keeping with tho wages fixed by tho Court in other 1 industries. To say . that a highly-skilled cutter in. Australia gets i£3 a week is beside the question, seeing that some highly-skilled cutters In New Zealand get as liltr.li as ,£B. Considering tho evidence tendered by the employers as regards the tremendous increase in importations, as the result of which any increased oost of production cannot be passed on, and also the fact that, the increase as granted by tli<S Court in this instance will add considerably to tho heavy burdens already borne by the clothing manufacturers, it will bo seen, that the Court was quite seized of tho true condition of things, and has erred, if anything, on the side of the workers. Looking at the award from the point of view of tho clothing manufacturer, ho lias nothing to thank the Court for.