ARBITRATION COURT.

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLI, Issue 8545, 27 March 1908, Page 8

ARBITRATION COURT.

.&> _ - THE WELLINGTON DRIVERS' DISPUTE. Per Press "Association. WELLINGTON, March 27/ The hearing of the drivers' dispute was commenced at the Arbitration Court yesterday. Air Pryor sat as the employers' representative in place of Mr Brown, who is personally interested. In outlining the demands of the Union, Mr Blaekie said ho hoped the Court would deal with the case on its merits. His Honor: Don't you think that that is how the matter has been dealt with in the past ? Mr Blaekie said he did not wish to convey this meaning. His Honor:" Well, you have a very unfortunate way of putting it. The Union asked that the hours of labour should be reduced by half an hour per week by allowing the men to coa.so work at 12.15 p.m. on Saturday instead of 12.45 p.m. The Union asked that provision be made in .the award for the keeping of an employment book. Owing to the need for a time-book there was great difficulty in detecting breaches of awards. An increase to £2 10s, or 5s per week, to drivers was asked in the case of men in charge of two horses, £2 14s for each additional horse, instead of two horses as at present. Casual labour, they asked, should bo paid for at tho rate of Is 3d per hour, instead of Iβ as at present. The existing holidays were asked for, and the employers agreed. In the matter of overtime they asked for a rate of Is 6d per hour. At present the award wus Is per hour for the first two hours, or"less than ordinary rates. For Sunday work and work on Good Friday 2s per hour was claimed, and Is 6d for work done on other holidays. Another demand was for the weekly payment of wages and for tho abolition of the provision regarding boarding arrangements with employers. Wiiere fifteen or more horses were kept in a stable tho Union esked that a stableman should bo kept. The Union claimed preference .to unionists. His Honor: Is (hat not included in tho present award ? Mr Blackie: Yes. His Honor: Then I don't suppose the employers object? Mr Scott: No; not to preference, but not in tho existing form. Mr Blackie: The employers ask that tho clause in the Duuedin award be put in. We object' to the last words, which say preference shall be given provided there are members of the Union .available "known to the employer. , ' This would absolutely kill preference. Finally the Union asked for power to extend the award. Evidonce was then called by the Union in support of the claims and statements made by Mr Blackio in his opening address. Mr Scott said this was the twentieth time tbo drivers had been before the Arbitration Court, yet the Union was sfill discontented. Wellington drivers were the best paid in tho Dominion. The case is not concluded. A number of technical interpretations of awards were given. The Court has made its award in the case between the Wellington branch of the Seamen's Union and the Wellington Harbour Ferries Limited. Minimum wage, firemen £2 15s per week, A.B.'s £2 10s, second deck hands when not A.B.'s £1 10s; hours of labour not to exceed 10 hours por day exclusive of meal hours on seven days a week; time and a half rate after 10 hours; no discrimination to be made between Unionists and non-Unionists.