WAR BONUS GRANTED

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 2888, 28 September 1916, Page 6

WAR BONUS GRANTED

' SLAUGHTERMEN'S DISPUTE. The Arbitration Court's award in tho slaughtermen's dispute with the Gear Meat Preserving and Freezing Company and tho Wellington Meat Export Company has been filed. "

A memorandum to the award says: "The only substantial question submitted to tho Court in tho dispute was as to the rate of wages for the slaughtering of freezing sheep and lambs. In' ordinary circumstances the rate of wages payable for the work under tho industrial agreement under which the parties havo been working for tho past throe years, namely, 275. 6d. per 100, could not be fairly regarded as otherwise than sufficient. In view, however, of the fact- that owing to tho war 'tho industry has been, and is, exceedingly prosperous, the Court thinks it is reasonable that the workers in the industry shall participate to soine extent in the prevailing prosperity. It has, therefore, decided to retain the existing rate of wages for the work in question, and has granted the workers a war bonus of 2s. Gd. per 100, although in doing so it has somewhat departed from the principle previously laid down with regard to the granting of such bonuses. In all other respects, with ono slight modification, the terms of the existing industrial agreement have beon embodied in the award." The award comes into force on Octo.bor 2, 1916, and romains in operation for two years.