WAGES AGREEMENT.

Hawera Star, Volume XLVII, 9 October 1928, Page 4

WAGES AGREEMENT.

EXTENSION OF TIME PROVIDED. SHEARERS’ RATES ON SLIDING SCALE. (By Telegraph—Special to The Star.) AVELLINGTON, Oct. 9. Early this morning an amendment to the Industrial Conciliation and Arbitration Act was introduced by Governor’s message. It is designed to overcome a limitation in the law which prevented agreements extending ibevond three years. The Prime Minister explained that the Sheepowners’ Federation and the shearers had come to an agreement for five years with v w ages based on a. sliding scale dependent on a rise or fall in the price of wool. Mr. H. E. Holland, Leader of the Opposition, expressed his approval of the measure, and Mr. T. M. Wilford remarked' with gratification upon this evidence of the success of conciliation. The Prime Minister, replying to a question, stated that shearers’ wages would be based on an average of the last five years’ prices, while in future years the wage would be adjusted in accordance • with the previous year’s wool prices. The Bill, when circulated, showed that it is capable of general application where both parties to an industrial agreement wish to make the period of duration up to five years.