LABOR DISPUTES.

Gisborne Times, Volume V, Issue 116, 27 May 1901, Page 4

LABOR DISPUTES.

PROPOSED FEDERATION OF BRANCHES OF TRADE. (By Telegraph—Press Association.) Lhpcdiff, May 24. •At the Arbitration Court yesterday the moulders’ dispute was mentioned. It was asked that the award at Christchurch and Auckland should be held over till the disputed in Duucdin and AA'cllington had been heard. Mr Justice Cooper, in granting the application, said it would be belter in the interests of employer and workmen, when dealing witli a trade with branches in every centre, that the Court should have evidence from each centre before it, so that a standard rate of wages might be fixed. He did not say that the standard would bo the same, for each centre, but they should fix in each centre wages that would be just to workmen and employers. He would point out the advisability of federating all branches of trade, so that the Court would have the whole of the material before it for the whole colony. The Court could discriminate between the various places.

Tho hearing of the boilermakers’-- dispute occupied the rest of the day. The Court will sit to-morrow and on Saturday. Then the President goes to Christchurch to complete the criminal sittiug there, after which he will return, and the Court will be resumed. An agreement which disposes of the dispute between the Coalminers’ Union and the Shag Point Company, before Conciliation Board, was filed to-day. References in two fresh cases were filed, the sailmakers’ and timber yard hands and the sawmillcrs. Later.—The Arbitration Court sat all day concluding the hearing of the boilermakers’.dispute. Mr Justice Cooper intimated that the Court would hear the metal-workers’ ease before giving an award. Mr Justice Cooper leaves for Christchurch to-morrow, and expects the Court to resume on tho 6th, and sit on until the Otago business is completed.