FARMERS' WAGES.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXVII, Issue 17284, 27 September 1916, Page 5

FARMERS' WAGES.

INDUSTRIAL DISPUTE.

SETTLED BY CONCILIATION COUNCIL.

The Conciliation Council met jesterday to consider a dispute between the Christchurch Farriers' Industrial Workers Union and the employers. Mr J. 11. Triggs, Conciliation Commissioner, presided. The assessors for the union were Messrs F. W. Penfold, W. Campbell and H. Quarterly, and for the employers Messrs J. Shilling, J. W. Bclgrave and E. A. Archer. The statement of claim was practically the same as the conditions of the old award, wages being the only clause in which changes were suggested. The union asked that competent farriers should receive not less than Is 8d per hour and competent floormen Is 6d, as against la 4Jd and Is, 3d per hour respectively under the old award. The operation of tho award was limited to the area lying within a radius of forty mile from the Chief Post Office, Christchurch. Tho employers offered to pay the old rato of wages. A brief discussion followed on tho cost of, shoeing horses, and the employers' assessors mentioned reasons as to why no increase could be granted, the principal one being in regard to increased cost of material.

The ComrnisMoner said that a farriers' award had been mado by mutual agreement at Auckland on March 1 of this year. Tho wages for a comEetent farrier had been raised by onealfpenny an hour. The Commissioner asked tho employers' assessors if they were prepared' to grant some increase. Tho answer was in tho affirmative, but on beiiig asked whether they would accept tho l same increase, the union's assessors declined the offer.

Tho Commissioner made suggestions, and tho union assessors withdrew for consultation purposes. Upon returning, the union assessors stated that they were prepared to accept the increase made under the Auckland award, but suggested that the halfpenny an hour should be given to the floormen.

This was agreed to, the wages becoming Is 4id for farriers and Is for floormen.

The employers' assessors suggested that the term of the award should bo made to coincide with that of Auckland, which would expire in March, 1918. •This was agreed to, and the Commissioner suggested that stops should bo taken to frame a Dominion award. The award was made to date from October 1.