PAINTING TRADE

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2766, 9 May 1916, Page 8

PAINTING TRADE

BEFORE CONCILIATION COUNCIL

Tile Wellington Painters' Dispute was considered by tho Conciliation Cquncil yesterday, Mi;. P. Hally, Conciliation Commissioner, presiding. The assessors for tho parties were:—For th«. union, Messrs. W. Cooper, F. Cornwell, F. Wallis; for tho employers, Messrs. M. S. Martin, T. A. 'Nlells, and G. Godber. : . ■ ' ■ ' Representatives .of tlio Mastei Painters' Union and thei Workers' "Union had mot previously, and arrived at an-agreement, the principal point, of' which was an increase m wages from Is. 4Jd. an hour to Is. 6d., with increased pay for apprentices. Applications for exemption were made yesterday by tho Wellington City Council, Wellington Harbour Board, and Wellington Moat Export Co. Mr. W. A. Grenfell, who was pre-, sent, asked if an agreement w<;re to bo concluded by the council or merely a recommendation made. Ho wished to know, ho- said, because several master painters objected to tho terms of the pronosed agreement. The Commissioner replied that a recommendation would bo made, so that objecting parties' might stato their case before the Arbitration Court.

Mr. Grenfell: Does.the Court propose to embody the union's claims in the recommendations? ' r ■ Mr. Cornwell (union assessor): Tliit is for the Court to consider. Mr. urenfoll said that there was opposition to 'the proposed agreement. ifr. Cornwell: Is it not a fact that you arc creating the opposition yourself? ' _j jJTr. Greafell: -"No." He added that tnere were numbers of master painters who were not members of the Master Painters' Union. Mr. Cornwell replied that the Master Painters' Union employed at least seven-tenths ot' tlio painters in Wellington. Quite a number of the men otherwise cited were working on their own account, but employed no labour, except occasionally. In reply to a question, Mr. Grenfell said ho had no authority to represent these employers, but they had told him that they were opposed to tho proposed Agreement. _ Tlio Court, after some further discussion, went into committee to consider the dispute.