PLUMBERS CASE

Evening Post, Volume LXXXIII, Issue 69, 21 March 1912, Page 8

PLUMBERS CASE

" Giving evidence in the plumbers' dispute iii the Arbitration Court thia afternoon;- William Davis, master plumber, was- examined by Mr. Grenlell. He etated that it was a point of honour with the employer to try to tuTn out apprentices as -propei 1 tradesmen. It was tho employer's advantage to push a boy on. With regard to dirt money, be believed that on ships., where the work was very dirty, men should receive an extra allowance. It was practically impossible for a plumber to work without assietance in the shapo of a boy to hand up tools. If sufficient boys were not allowed, it would be necessary to send journeymen. The number of assistants should not be further restricted. To Mr. Slaughter: The present wages, were quito sufficient in his opinion.^ \ ' s Thomas Ballinger, master plumber, said that laying of gas mains was 'done, by ordinary men, not by expert plumbers. In his own firm nearly all the employees had been trained by tho firm. He considered that Is 4d an hour was too high a minimum for uncertificated tradesmen. Exemption was asked for by the Wellington Gas Company and the Petone Borough Council on tho ground that the work done was not strictly plumbing work. Mr. Slaughter, en behalf of the union, opposed the exemption, submitting that the name of the union — Plumbers' and Gasfitters' Union. The work was very similarly. More than half the Gas Company's litters were already in the union. Air. Grenfe-11 asked that exemption should be granted to the Meat Export Company and Gear , Company and the Wellington Hospital and Charitable Aid Board. In regard to the title of the union his Honour said that merely altering the title of the union did not alter its scop£. Mr. Slaughter said the title had been amended on the Bth March this year. Gasfitters had already be«n included as members of the union. Tho Court will liear further evidence in the country districts, at Napier, Wanganui, and Palmerston North. Adjournment was made till Saturday.