ARBITRATION COURT.

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume I, Issue 296, 5 December 1911, Page 2

ARBITRATION COURT.

CARPENTERS’ AND JOINERS’ AWARD. — Wellington. Dec. 1. The Arbitration Court, held a special sitting in Wellington to-day on behalf of the Wellington Painters’ Union. Air. Reyling applied to have the following parties joined to the painters" award -I "nion Steam Ship Company, Wellington Harbour Board. Wellington Meat Export Company. Gear Meat Export Company. and the Wellington City Council. The City Council was not represented. but the application was opposed on behalf of the other parties cited by Messrs. Kennedy (Union Company). Marchbanks (Harbour Board), and Grenfell (for the two meat companies). The Inspector of Awards (Mr. R. A. Collins) proceeded against the Wellington Gas Company for an alleged breach of the carpenters' and joiners’ award in failing to paytravelling time to a carpenter employed at Miramar. Mr. E. Brown appeared for the Gas Company. Mr. Holland explained that the action was a friendly one. brought against the Gas Company in order that an interpretation might be obtained. The question for the court to answer was as follows -Where an employer has two places of business, one within the city of Wellington and the other outside of the two mile radius from Te Aro post office, at each of which workers are engaged and employed. should the employer regard tlie place of business at which a , worker is engaged and employed as I’is place of business for the purpose, cf this clause .’ M ere the Miramar works not regarded as a principal j place of business within the meaning of the award the company would be obliged to pay travelling time or tram feres to the carpenters whom they employed. Mr. Brown submit- , ted that the provision under notice I in the carpenters’ and joiners’ award- | was never intended to affect such a i business as that of the defendant company. The only place of business of the company for the purposes of the carpenters’ and joiners’ award was at Miramar, where new works were under construction. The provision in the award regarding travelling time was meant to apply* to the contractor who had one central office at which to engage his men, and from which office he sent the men all round the country. The. Gas Company engaged the men at Miramar and did not send them away- at all. The men came to the Miramar works and asked for employment. If there was work to do the men were, engaged without being asked where they lived. The court reserved its decision.