TELEGRAMS. GIRLS IN THE BOOT TRADE. THE QUESTION OF PAYMENT.

Evening Post, Volume LXXIX, Issue 119, 23 May 1910, Page 8

TELEGRAMS. GIRLS IN THE BOOT TRADE. THE QUESTION OF PAYMENT.

CONTENTIONS OF .THE UNIONS. [by telegraph— special to the post.] CHRISTCHURCH, This Day. Mr. G. R. Whiting, secretary of the New Zealand Federate Bootmakers' Union, states that Mr. J. A. Frostick is quite wrong in stating that the employers did not agree to pay girls in the thirdclass, known as "casual hands," for holidays, for which the girls themselves are not responsible. At the conference between representatives of both parties in Wellington, a shorthand note of the proceedings was taken, and Mr. Whiting quotes from this to show that the employers agreed to pay for all holidays. The report shows that Mr. Whiting, when apprentices were dealt with, said : — "We want what is known as the court's clause, ss in our demand sheet." Mr. Coles, an employer, replied : "We will accept that." Mr. Hally, the commissioner, commented : "That is, that the term shall be five years,, dating from the entry of the girl into the factory in any capacity, the court's clause applying to all apprentices, nothing to bt gaid about indentures." Later on, afc the conference, Mr. Whiting says the employers agreed to take the court's clause* as set out in the men's demands. Mr. Hally, the official report says, pointed out that that really meant that if apprentices were off from work through their own fault, they were not to be paid, but if the employer failed to provide work the girls must be paid all Mie same. Mr. Murray, an employer, interjected : "That means that we would have (to keep the girls constantly employed." Mr. Cooper, a worker, said : "Quite bo, but the court's clause gives you the right to transfer your- apprentices, permanently or temporarily." Mr. Murray r. "Very well, we will agree to that." Mr. Whiting contends that the officia, report is clear evidence that the employers agreed to pay all girls for holidays if ifc was not theii fault that the Holidays were held. In regard to the test case against Hannah and Co., of Wellington, he says that the court held that there w«2 three classes of apprentices — Indentured apprentices ; apprentices Who were not indentured, but who were engaged to serve for five years ; and girls ■who were not indentured or engaged to serve as apprentices for any definite term, but were employed merely , to work in a factory, and who should give or receive twenty-four hours' notice. All the girls in Hannah and Co.'s factory are in the third-class. The court, in its recenfc decision against Messrs. Skelton, Frostick, and Co., stated that, although, girls were in the third-class they were apprentices. Mr. Whiting contends that section (a) of clause 14 defines the word "apprentice" as meaning "every girl employed in the u-ade who does not come under rule 2 of the award." All girls, therefore, are apprentices, and the employers' agreement to pay girl apprentices for holidays covers all girls employed at the trade. MAIN TRUNK TIME-TABLE. ' 'A SUGGESTED ALTERATION. (BT TELEGRAPH — SVECIAL TO THE POST.J AUCKLAND, This Day. The movement of the Wellington Chamber of Commerce to nave the Main Trunk express leave Auckland two hours earlier fchan at .present has reached the stage of asking the opinion of the Auckland Chamber of Commerce in regard to the proposal to start the express from this end at 7.15 p.m. instead of 9.15 p.m., to facilitate earlier delivery of mails. Mr. Gunson (president of fcne Auckland Chamber of Commerce) has replied that 7.15 p.m. would be inconvenient, but if 8 p.m. would suit he " would bring a recommendation to ihat effect before his council at next meeting.