NEW DRIVERS' AWARD.

Evening Post, Volume LXVIII, Issue 131, 30 November 1904, Page 6

NEW DRIVERS' AWARD.

A RE-ENACTMENT WITH SOME ALTERATIONS. The award of the Arbitration Court — Mr. Justice Chapman (President), and Messis. R. Slater and W. Scott — in the .drivers' dispute is to hand. It is to have force from "Ist December, 1904, till Ist December, 1906. Hours : The award provides for a 47^ hours week (except as otherwise provided) exclusive of tho time required for necessary attendance to horses. "The said time shall include the time properly occupied in going from and returning to the stables. The working hours shall be regulated by the employer according to the special requirements of his business." Drivers in tlie aerateu waters and cordial trade shall work 45 hours from April to October inclusive, 60 hours during other months. "An hour shall, if possible, be allowed for dinner." Wages : The minimum for competent drivers is £2 5s for single horse drivers, £2 9s for drivers of two or more horses. "No deduction shall be made from such weekly v/aj;es for bad weather or holidays or for other cause than for time lost through the employee's default." Casual Labour : The rate of pay shall be Is l£d per hour up to 10^' hours (including the time required for necessary attendance to horses), thereafter Is 3d per hour overtime. "A man shall be deemed to be a casual driver who is not employed continuously for more than one* week."Employment of Youths : "Employers are at liberty to employ youths above the age of 18 at light work, according to the following scale : — 18-19 years, £1 Is per week; 19-20 years, £1 4s; 20-21 years, £1 7s ; 21-22 years, £1 10s" ; over 22 years full wages, unless he come under the clause permitting employment as an undcr-rato -workman. "The definition .of -light" work* shall in each case be a matter to bo settled by agreement between the employer and the Secretary to the Union, and failing stich agreement shall be determined by the Chairman of the Conciliation^Board or such other person as may be appointed by the Court for that purpose. The number of youths so employed shall not exceed one to four, or a fraction of four competent drivers." Holidays: The usual nine are fixed; but "men employed by fishmongers, laundrymon, and cordial makers may bo required to serve custoemrs on any of the above-named holidays without extra payment, but the employers shall so arrange their respective businesses that the smallest amount of work reasonably practicable shall be done on any of such days. The time so occupied shall count as part of tho 47^ hours constituting the week's work." Overtime : For the first two hours beyond the 47^- the uvortime rate shall be Is per hour, thereafter Is 3d, but "no time losE rjy a driver through his own default shall count in computing overtime." Payment for Sundays and Holidays : The problem of what "double time" holiday payment means is set at rest by the use of figures and express wording, in which it is shown that tnc Court intends double time holiday payment to be double time plus time. The clause reads : "Tor work done of Sundays, Christmas Day, and Good Friday, other than attendance to horses, drivers shall be paid at the rate of 2s per hour. For work done on other holidays, other than attendance to horses, drivers shall bo paid at the rate of Is 3d per hour. The above payments shall be in addition to the weekly wage." Boarding : An employer may enter into an agreement with a driver to provide him with suitable board and lodging, and to deduct ihe price thereof .from his wages at a late not exceeding 17s per we?k. Other provisions : Unloading feed, when occupying more than a quarter of an hour, and washing vehicles, is not to be deemed to be necessary attendance to horses. Wages shall be paid weekly. Except in the case of casuals, or in dismissed "for good cause," there shall be a week's notice on either side. . Special conditions : These include provisions to meet individual cases like those of Mr. Kellow and Mr. Lamberg ; also the following provisions affecting drivei's of bttkers' carts and (as far as applicable) ithe 'parcel delivery drivers of Me*srs. Innis and Son; during the first month, when learning the round of customer?, drivers nwy he employed without payment of overtime, and, if accompanied by -i fully-paid diiver to show them, may be employed during the fiist vaek »t half the late fixed for fullypaid drivers. Preference : The usual under-rate workman clause is inserted ; also preference to unionists (which does not apply to employment of casuals, and which is conditional In any cas« on the employment book being properly kept) ; non-ddscrim-iuation against unionists; non-distinc-tion between unionists and ' non-unionists woiking j-ide by side. Exemptions : The award does nob apply to doctors employing drivers, and it exempts by consent the Wellington City Council and Wellington Fresh Food and Ice Co. It. also exempts the Union S.S. Co. as long <ih that company adheres to the conditions under which it at present employs its drivers. Power is reserved to make a supplemental award dealing with cabs and carriages, on tho application of any pjrty interested.

Mr. Ncls-on Dyson, the composer of the now well-known ballad "You are my Pearl," has forwarded the mahusmpt to Messrs. Witmark and Sons, New York. This firm intend to do the American, publishing for the gifted young Wellington writer. Mr. Justice Cooper left for Blenheim this afternoon to preside at the sitting of the Compensation Court in reference to the Flaxbourne Estate, which tho Government is proposjng to acquiro under the Land for Settlements Act. On Monday afternoon the Government Printer, Mr. J. Mackay, on behalf of the staff of the Government Printing Office, made a presentation to Mr. T. R. Barrer, engineer, on the occasion of his marriage with Miss Nina A. R. Greensill, 51. A., of Picton. i There was a large congregation present at St. Joseph"* Church, Buckle-street, this morning, 'when the Revs. P. Finnerty and Rausch were ordained priests by Bishop Grimes, <of Christchurch, assisted by the Yen. Archdeacon Devoy and the Rev. Father O'Sliea. xVfter the ceremony Bishop Grimes conferred the sacrament of confirmation on a large number of children belonging to Te Arc- Pariah.