CONCILIATION BOARD.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLI, Issue 12609, 25 June 1904, Page 7

CONCILIATION BOARD.

THE CARTERS' DISPUTE. * .. The sitting of the Conciliation Board, to deal with the dispute in the carting trade, was continued yesterday at the Supreme Court Buildings. "'- : -''* *' ~. Mr. Way called evidence on behal{ of the Carters' Union, the first witness Sworn being George Davis, secretary of the union. He held that the proposed scale of wages suggested by the masters for youths was not satisfactory, as many youths were capable of doing men's work and should be paid accordingly. The payment of youths should be settled between the representatives of the union and the masters, and failing an adjustment should be referred to the chairman of the Board for his decision. The work of general carters was heavier than that of grocers' carters, yet the latter received £2 5s per' week, while the general carters really worked longer hours for less money. Stable work should be paid for after certain hours in addition to the recognised wage. The hours of work should be regulated 'by the Board and preference given to unionists. Charles Baker, waggon-driver (three horses), in the employ of William Lovett, and in receipt of £2 8s per week, said he usually left the. stable at sever* o'clock in the morning and returned at hours varying between half-past four p,m. and six p.m., but generally before the latter hour. He regarded the present demands of the union £2 ss, £2 9s, and £2 12s for one, two, and three-horse drivers respectively—as reasonable, and could not see any necessity for the extension of the " hours out" from 47 to 50, as asked by the masters. For casual hands he considered Is 3d per hour a fair thing, and thought that overtime should be at the rate of Is 6d per hour. " ; • John Wren, in the same employ, supported the views of Baker as to the reasonableness of Che demands, and added that the men were not usually anxious to earn overtime, as they were glad to knock off at the close of their ordinary day's work. He favoured preference to unionists. Similar evidence was given by Charles Wheeler and John Stokes, in the employ of J. J. Craig, and B. Kane, formerly a carter in the same employ. Edward Hunt, carrier, in business on his own account, said that he would be quite willing to give a competent man 10s a day to drive a waggon and two horses for him if he could find regular work for the man, as he could do this and still make a good profit for himself. In answer to Mr. Fawcus, witness said that after paying a good man 10s per day ha would still make ja profit for himself of £5 to £4 per week. f He based the profits on personal experience when employing a man for a day and a-half. This concluded the evidence, and after Mr. Way, for the union, and Messrs. Miller and Winstone, for the masters, had addressed the Board the Chairman (the Rev. G. Burgess) intimated that the award would be made known on Monday next at half-past two p.m.