ARBITRATION COURT

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 56, 29 November 1919, Page 11

ARBITRATION COURT

JEWELLERS' CLAIMS NEW "COST OF LIVING"

STATISTICS

Court of Arbitration continued it.; Wellington sessions yesterday. His Honour Mr. Justice .Stringer presided, and the assessors wore Mr. \Y. Scott (for tho employers) and Mr. J. M'Cullough (for the employees). The Wellington manufacturing jewellers applied for an amendment of tlieh award.

Mr. A. L. Monteith appeared for tho union, and Mr. W. A. 'GrenfelL for the employers.

' I'ho union asked that the male worker's wago bo increased from .£3 10s. to JM, 10s., and that the rates for female workera and apprentices be increased by 20 per cent. _ It sought a. .14-hour week, and the following daily hours: On fivo days, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.; on Saturdays, 8 a.m. to noon. It further proposed that the overtime rato should be time and a half throughout. Mr. Monteith said that the trade was ft very highly-skilled one, and . that those who entered it had to serve a six years' apprenticeship. Of all the New Zealand trades in which there was such a lengthy apprenticeship to be undergone, the jewellery trade was the worst paid. Even unskilled workers were in some eases drawing higher wages than the Wellington jewellers. The trade was a pure luxury, and it could well afford to pay higher wages to tho workers engaged in it. Tho union iVas especially anxious to ppo a, reduction in the hours of work. The trade was capable of granting .the best of conditions, as the cost oc improvements could easily be passed on. All. important consideration weighing in .favour of. a reduction in hours was tho health of tho employees, which was apt to suffer from too long exposure to the fumes generated in soni\, operations. 4 -

Evidence was tendered in support of Hie application.Mr. Grenfell submitted ' that most nf Mr. Monteith's contentions were beside the question. • The award (made this year) was the result of an agreement between the parties. It came into force in March last. Tlie increase in the cost of living since March was- only 1.5 per cent., and he submitted thftt t'bo union was not entitled to. more than that percentage of increase in wages. His Honour said that Hie Court had later information than Mr. Grenfell. The Government Statistician had been asked to compile figures which took into consideration the rise in the cost»of clothing. The increase in the cost of living between March 31 and September .10 of this year, computed on the basis of the. 2id. an hour bonus generally granted by the Court was Id. The Statistician had been asked to assume for the purpose, of his calculation that the ~2kl. bonus was a fair allowance for the vise in the cost of livine up to March 31. AVhen Mr. Grenfell submitted the employers' arguments against reduction of hours. His Honour expressed the view that it was not reasonable for the union to ask, upon such an application, that the. 4G.j-hour wo?k agreed on some eight months ogfo should be altered: The Court reserved its decision.