ARBITRATION COURT.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 11841, 19 December 1901, Page 7

ARBITRATION COURT.

BUILDERS' DISPUTE.

The Arbitration Court resumed the hearing of the dispute in the building trade yesterday at tho Supreme Court. Mr. Justice Cooper presided, and there were also present, Messrs). S. Brown and R. Slator. The following parties were present: 'Messrs. A. Roster, S. Tyson, and J. Thompson, representing the Amalgamated Society of Carpenters and Joiners. Messrs. A. Pollard, S. I. Clarke, and Jim. Davis, representing the Master Builders' Association, and T. 11. White, Thomas Herbert, and.ll. \V. Smith, representing the Saw millers' Union.

William Sawyer, carpenter and joiner. said he was not a unionist. He was recently employed in Mr. Jones' shop, and got over Is 2d an hour. There was not much difference in the class of work in this shop than that done in factories. In 1900 witness received £2 15s a week from Mr Graiidison for work in his shop. Witness was working in the Premier Joinery Mill, and was not satisfied with the conditions of the last award, which gave £2 8s a week, and came to work outside to get more money. Ho thought the carpenter and joiner was not sufficiently paid in comparison with bricklayers and other workmen. The carpenter provided more tools and required more skill. lie thought it was an injustice that skilled labour should work in factories looser hours anil for less money than they got outside. The mill hands were in a better position as regards tools than those employed outside". Mill work was more-arduous and continuous •than outside. Witness had done outside work for the mill in 1899 and was only paid Is an hour.

By Mr. White : Pipping work was not particularly hard work, and was done by machinery in a mill. It was not tho rule for factories to send men outside to work. Mr. Herbert had asked witness and his comrades to go up a back street when on such an errand, as ho did not want the builders to see him with the "men.

By Mr. Davis: There were not many builders connected with the joinery shops on account of tin* mill monopoly. A carpenter would net be able to turn out a good workman unless he could also instruct him in joinery work. It was absolutely necessary for an apprentice, in order to learn his trade, to be legally indentured.

William Brownlie, a unionist carpenter, said the relative cost of living had increased since the last award was made. He now received is 2d an hour for 44 hours per week, and considered it a. bare living wage. After 30 years' experience he thought the demand that apprentices should be legally indentured was very reasonable. Anything required over the stock sizes of joinery was made outside.

By Mr. Rosser: There was an undue amount of competition in Auckland. If a union rate of wage were introduced tjlie builders would be enabled to do more joinery in their own mills.

■Robert Ronnie, carpenter, employed by Air. B'oomfielcl, said he had been a foreman in a Dimedin joinery factory, where 46J1 hours were worked for £3. and the carpenters were paid £2 18s 5d for 44 hours' work. He considered the disparity in wages a handicap to the builders in making their own joinery. He approved of the apprentice clause in the demands.

By Mr. White: Witness' experience was that workmen who had been legally indentured to tho trade were the better workmen.

Angus Sutherland, a non-unionist carnenter and joiner, employed by Fhilcoy. and Son. for the past. 23 years, said Is 2d per hour was paid both in and out of the shop. There was a certain staff constantly employed. He considered the difference of the wage paid compared with that of factories was unfair. He considered the advance of wage to Is 4d asked for was reasonable, considering that the cost of living had increased during the past few years. His Honor: la it a rule that mills should not compete with the builders in outside work? It is not a breach of the award to do so?

Mr. White-: It is locked upon as a matter of honour that mills should not compete T-'ith their customers.

» Kmit Arvidsou, a. unionist joiner, employed by J. D. Jones, thought the provisions asked for in the statement reasonsole. He had worked in foreign countries and in the South, at the trade, and thought the wage paid in Auckland was less in proportion to the work, and was a, bare living wage. Harry Ingham, with nearly 30 years' experience as a carpenter and joiner, said he ■earned Is 2d an- hour on constant work,', and with his family his cost of living was .more than his wage. Ho approved of the preference clause in the statement., as he had to pay hie. share towards getting it. Arthur Rosser said he had been a carpenter and joiner for 23 years. Tho cost of his living on an average was £2 lis Id per week, which he earned. Since Mr. Justice Edwards' award the cost of living had increased. The trade, in all its branches, excepting the bricklayers, in Auckland, were now working 44 hours per week. The hours had been reduced in 1696 from 47. consequent on a deputation waiting on tho Master Builders' Association. Mr. S. I. Clarke, addressing the Court on behalf of the master builders, said they considered the hours and wages should be uniform in the mill factories and builders' workshops. They did not think tho mill .factories" should be placed at an advantage "over the workshops. * With regard to wages the general opinion among builders was that the state of the trade did not, warrant any increase. The profits accruing from the trade were much more likely to be on the decrease titan on the increase. The Builders Association was not at all desirous of cutting down wages, or of opposing a fair rate of pay, but the members felt that they must be very careful in introducing anything extra into the present cost of building. If they did people could iot afford to build at rates much* higher, and if the wages were eent up too much it would have a reactionary effect and only harm those it was intended to benefit. " Speaking of the apprenticeship question, Mr. Clarke said tho builders did not apnrovo of binding lans to the trade. They thought a boy was much more likely to exert himself to learn his trade if he were not bound. Four witnesses were filled in support of the case for the master builders. ; . The Court resumes at half-past ten this morning, when the sawmillers will open their case.