WORK AND WAGES.

Gisborne Times, Volume LXXXV, Issue 12912, 14 July 1936, Page 5

WORK AND WAGES.

‘ADVOCATE FORi WORKERS”

ATTACK ON CONCILIATION

COMMISSIONER

(Press Association). AUCKLAND, July 13

Since neither party was prepared to embarrass its case for arb’.tiation, wages, hours of wor|c and overtime clauses in the plumbers’ dispute, which was argued before the Conciliation Commissioner (Mr M. J. Reardon) in Auckland were not discussed and were referred to the Court. Onl\ a partial agreement could be reached on the machinery clauses.

During the hearing', the agent for the employers (Mr IV. E. Anderson objected to a remark by the. Commissioner about the employers’ wages offer and later he suggested that Mr Reardon Avas acting as an advocate for the workers.

The Commissioner replied that he was only making suggestions. If they were net acceptable, they were not acceptable, and there they ended. FURRIERS’ INDUSTRY. ; t PLEA FOR 44-HOUR WEEK FROM JANUARY TO JUNE. (Press Association!. Wellington! July 13. The seasonal nature of the industry and the risk of changing fashions in furs ware emphasised by witnesses culled in support of the application by the manufacturing furriers of the Dominion to-day heard in the Arbitration Court for an extension of hours of employment to 44 hours per week for the months from January to June and for a 40 hours weak tor the remainder of the year. Counsel said it was a highly specialised trade and even with the 44-hour week groat difficulty whs experienced in securing competent labour to fulfil orders. A great deal of overtime* was worked in the busy period; in fact llio reason for the application was a shortage of skillad labour. There was a. danger of loss of trade to New Zealand manufacture's by tho importation of furs from'overseas. The employees opposed the application, stating tl.nt one Wellington firm had already wc-rekd the 40-hour week, since work was not begun until abort 9.45 a.m.. The business of this firm had steadily increased. The shortage of. labour was due to thp fact that munu facturers did not offer as high wages as could be obtained in other branches of the clothing industry. Fashion did not dictate to the fur industry as much ns to the manufacturer of ladies’ apparel and the latter industry had already come under tho 40-hour week decision. Mr. Justico Page intimated that tho court would require time to consider the ease. d : MM FURNITURE INDUSTRY Claiming there is «. shortage <rii skilled tradesmen *3n the furniture industry, and that the .work could not bo carried on efficiently on a 40-hour week, furniture''manufacturers applicd to the ' Arbitration Court in .Wellington!. yesterday*'for hours on Saturdays and periods of five hoops without a break for a meal. Decision was reserved,—P.A.