GOLD DREDGERS WAGES

Evening Star, Issue 14225, 26 November 1909, Page 7

GOLD DREDGERS WAGES

BEFORE THE ARBITRATION COURT. A sitting of tlm Arbitration Court was hold at Coro yesterday afternoon before Mr Justice Sim, Mr W. Scott and Mr J. A. M'Culloiigh. The principal business was the consideration of a claim put forward by the Otago and Southland Gold Miners’ Union on behalf of the clrodgemcn at Waikaia for an increase of the award of wages from 8s to 9s per c-av, and preference for union members. In support of the application for the increased award, evidence was called to the effect tint the prevailing rate of wage of 8s for the dredges in' the Gore district was unfair at Waikaia, where the cost of 'iring was higher in every w;ay than at Gore. It v;a< also mentioned that medical attendance in Gore cost 7s 6d per visit, whcieas a doctor’s tnp to Waikaia entailed a charge of hve guinea;. The pay to the dredgemcn was also said to be lower than thrate paid for other labor at Waikaia. It was contended bv M\* Pryor hi onposition to the requested increase of wages, that the opening of the railway to Maikaia was bringing about redimed prices of goods, and that the existing award had boon decided upon after two or three previous inquiries. Further it was suggested that gold dredgiim was a declining industry, and that iim creasoJ pay would mean that many of the dredges would be forced into liquidation, as they would be unable to stand extra expenses Eight dredges at W?ikaia and twenty-six in other parts of the Gon district were stated to have ceased working within the past few years owing to expenses execedin" profits. ° The Court reserved their decision.