WATERSIDERS’ AWARD

Greymouth Evening Star, 29 April 1937, Page 2

WATERSIDERS’ AWARD

SEAMEN’S OBJECTION.

[PER PRESS ASSOCIATION.]

WELLINGTON, April 28.

Because of the indisposition of Mr. Justice Page, the Arbitration Court to-day consisted of only the lay members, and at the start of proceedings, Mr. A. L. Monteith, employees’ representative, announced that the Court would deal only with matters in which a complete agreement had been peached. Such agreements would be made into awards at the sitting of the Court in Christchurch to-morrow, at. which Mr. Justice Northcroft would preside. The first case called was the watersiders’ Dominion dispute, in which the parties had reached a complete agreement and the court was asked to make the agreement into an award. However, an objection came from Mr. Walsh. Mr. Walsh said Clause 40 of the proposed award was in direct contradiction to Clause 58 of the seamen’s award, and would have to be modified. He said that under the proposed clause, seamen who had driven winches on small vessels ever since th vessels had been at sea would be prohibited from doing that under Clause 58 of the seamen’s award. Provision was made for its continuance. Mr. Monteith said that the clause would have to be withdrawn if the award were to be made; otherwise a special fixture would have to be made at the Christchurch sitting. Mr. Walsh said that even if Clause 40 were deleted seamen would not be eligible to perform the work they had performed ever since ships had been at sea. He asked for an alteration to the preference clause, so that it should not affect seamen as they were working at present.

Mr. J. Roberts, for thq workers, said that Mr. Walsh was asking the impos sible.

Mr. Monteith said a memorandum that the deletion of Clause 40 was without prejudice to the rights of the parties would achieve the object. Mr. Walsh said he objected to the preference clause going in as it stood. The matter was left in the Court’s hands to preserve the rights of the parties. If this is not possible the Court will consider the matter and make an appointment in Christchurch.