FLAX INDUSTRY

Dominion, Volume 22, Issue 52, 24 November 1928, Page 9

FLAX INDUSTRY

FINDING OF ARBITRATION COURT

The Arbitration Court has delivered its judgment on questions affecting the flax industry raised by the application made by the employers for a reduction of 10 per cent, in the wages of workers in the Manawatu district, and another rate for workers on automatic scutching machines. As the wages were not at first fixed on the state of the prosperity of the industry the employers’ application was refused. The Court said that if unusually High' rates of wages had been agreed upon by the parties on account of the industry being in a prosperous condi-

tion at the time the award was made, it might have felt justified in ordering a reduction when the trade met with a period of depression. The award rates, however, were not unusually high, but represented the rates that would ordinarily be awarded to workers of a similar grade, performing somewhat similar work, in other industries. The Court favoured a sliding scale, but as the employers opposed it the Court thought it should be adopted only with the consent of the parties concerned. In order to afford the parties a basis of discussion, the Court set out a suggested amendment of the award, which, with any variations that the parties may desire, can be agreed upon by them. Concerning the question of automatic scutchers, the clause in the award has been amended to provide for piece and time rates.