RED GROSS MEETING

Evening Star, Issue 23562, 29 April 1940, Page 9

RED GROSS MEETING

Those prepared to assist in the forthcoming appeal for the sick, wounded, and distress fund, to be launched in Otago on Mav 12. are invited to a meeting to be held in the R.S.A. Social Hall to-morrow at 8 p.m. Dr Alexander Gillies, chairman of the Dominion Joint Council of the Order of St. John and tlm New Zealand Red Cross Social r will be in attendance. The ma3or (Mr A. H. Allen) will preside.

ARBITRATION COURT

MOTOR EODY APPRENTICES APPLICATION FOR AN AMENDMENT The Arbitration Court, presided over by Mr .). A. Gilmunr, S.M.,'sat this morning to hoar an application by the employers to amend the Otago and Southland coach and motor-body builders’ apprenticeship order by the deletion of a clause and the substitution of the following;—“ The proportion of the total number of apprentices to the total number of journeymen employed by any employer shall be not more than one to one in the branch of the trade to which any apprentice is apprenticed.” Mr P. C. Scrivener, who represented the employers, said that the present apprenticeship order was made . in 1925, since when the number of motor vehicles in use had increased enormously, with a consequent increase in the amount of work required to be done. The employers were not so much concerned with the branches of the trade other than panel-beating, and it was this branch which was causing concern owing to the. shortage of journeymen, and'this position was being aggravated by enlistments with the armed forces. The increase in the number of motor vehicles in commission, during the past few years had naturally increased tho amount of work to. be done, but the flow of journeymen Had not kept pace, due; in the employers’ opinion, to the out-of-date- proportion of one to two or fraction of two, which was prescribed in 1925. With regard to tho suggestion of the Apprenticeship Committee that, in view of the national crisis, the application should be withdrawn, it was proposed to show that the crisis had rendered a variation of tho-proportion imperative, particularly in respect of panel-beating. Evidence along the lines of Mr Scrivener’s submissions was igiven by George Thomas Anderson, manager of a coach and motor-body building firm, and for the union Frederick Tombs, member of tho Apprenticeship Committee, said that the committee had made arrangements during the depression for a one to one ratio to apply to panelbeating. This witness' considered that the evidence of Mr. Anderson went to show that only in ■ panel-beating , was there any stress apparent. The application of the employees had already been given effect to, the placement officer providing another apprentice. The comipittee, though, did not desire the amendment to extend to the main branches of the industry. Mr Gilmour announced that the alteration of the ratio in the panelboating branch of the w trade would be noted by the court, which would reserve its decision concerning the application for amendment to tho ratio in the other branches of the industry, AGREEMENT REACHED.

Mr Robinson announced a complete agreement in an application by the New Zealand Engine Drivers, Firemen, and Greasers’ (general section) Union for partial exemption. The agreement affects employees on City Corporation cable tram services, and provides for double time on Sundays, time and ahalf for work over eight hours a day, double time on Good Friday 1 ; Anzac Day, Labour Day, and Christmas Day, fnd annual holidays according* to the able tramway employees’ award.