ARBITRATION COURT.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLIII, Issue 13201, 12 June 1906, Page 7

ARBITRATION COURT.

THE SADDLERS* UNION CASK.

Tub Auckland sittings of the Arbitration Court, were resumed yesterday morning before His Honor Mr. .Justice. Chapman (president) and Messrs. Brown and Slater.

The first business taken was the hearing of the dispute between the Auckland Saddlers, Ha.rnessmakers, Oollamlskers and Bridlecutters* Industrial Unioa of Workers and the ..master saddlers of Auckland district, 134 parties being cited. For [he union there'" appeared Mr. R. V. Way. Mr. W Hawkins (president), and Mi. d.'A. (irahatn

(secretary). The employers were represent Bil by Mr. I. W. Wiseman. Mr. F. (.' Knight, and Mr. .1. H. Love.

THE CLAIM. The claim put forward by the tin ion asks for an increase, of journeymen's wages from the Is lived by the last award to Is 3d p-r hour. It also a-k- for a reduction in the number of apprentices to th« proportion of one 10 three journeymen in the saddlery. harness, collar, and machinery branches, one apprentice and one female stitcherto three' journeymen in the bridlecntting : branch,' and one apprentice ami two female stitcher- to ever? 'three'journeymen in the has a-.-I mink ' branch. For the female stitchers, whose wages had not I teen fixed under the last award, the union asks Ts Oil per week for the first yea v. 1.21 bd second year. 17s 6d third year, and 25s fourth year. For the apprentices increases were Risked from 5s per'week in the first year to Ts tid. and from 20s per week in the tilth year to ,30-. The union abo u-ks that the bagmaking branch should be joined under the award." the bagmakei* hitherto not having worked under' an award. The usual holidays, preference to unionists, and 48-hour working week clause? are reinserted. A new feature is clause 12. asking that "all goods manufactured in any factory, under the proprietorship of any.employer, to be subject to the condition* of this award." Mr. Le, Roy, who had ln-eu cited, put in an objection, lie being a sailuiaker, aud his work being carried on largely by machinery. Mr. Way said there were some others on the same footing: some of the sailmakers made horsecovers. which were regarded as properly part of a saddler's business. The President said the Court would consider the application for exemption later.'

Till' CASR FOR TIIK I'XION. Mi-. Way. in opening the •■as*' fur the union, said there had been several conferwires between employers and employees, but there was one firm 'thai could not see its way to agree. Tim union was asking for somewhat new condition?. Thorp had been practically no increase in wages or betterment of conditions of labour for I lie last, .six years. The union asked that the clause in the old award relating to no overtime being allowed until the 18 hours ill the week had been worked should be deleted, as it led to unfairness, men losing time through no fault of their own having to work after ordinary hour.- without extra remuneration. With respect, to the female stitchers it appeared that out of the 150 firms cited there were '-four or five -in Auckland that employed tins class of. labour, and .is Fat as could be ascertained they were the only firms in the colony employing female stitchers. The union asked that except in h.ridlsculting and bagmaking the female stitchers should he ex-eluded. Tu many cases the employment of female stitchers was militating against the •apprentices learning- their trade properly, and permits had to be granted to apprentices coming out of their time to work as under-rate workmen on the ground that, they were unable to do that work carried on by female stitchers. The union asked that no piecework, log or bonuses be allowed. The union asked that proportion of apprentices should be defined, as when extra handswere engaged the full number of apprentices j were employed, and they were kept on even [ after the extra hands went. William Hawkins, president of tie union, stated that he worked for Ormiston and Co., and received £2 15s per week of 48 hours. Formerly he worked for Wiseman and Co. for 14- o*r 15 years. The reason for a week's notice of termination of engagement being asked for was that some employers were in the habit, of giving a week's holiday on no wages, and then the men found their services dispensed with. Wages should be paid weekly, as now as much as two days' wages whs kepi, back sometimes.; With regard to female stitchers they could not be expected to stitch in a seam as well us a. man who .had experience. They were doing work now which ordinarily was re- : cognised as tin? work of a saddler. In Wellington all stitching was done by male labour, and in the South no girls were employed. As a result, of this cheap labour in ■ Auckland apprentices came out of their time incompetent for the trade, really raw hands at stitching. The union had recognised all along that apprentices coming out ' of those firms would require permits to work as under-rare workmen. Witness know of a journeyman who could hot. stitch a seam. Auckland had been looked upon for years as the manufacturing centre in saddlery for the colony. An average man made about nine saddles a week, and young- fellows just, our of their apprenticeship were expected to make six or seven on permit, of £2 2s a week. , . ... In reply to Mr. Love the. witness said ho was a partner in the business. It was a co-operative concern, and the men worked under the award and divided the profits. They all received;sss per week, and there were, seven or eight of them. liis Honor: Von are really a master saddler, then? Witness: That is so. \t this stage -the Court adjourned upon learning of the. death of Mr. Seddon. and the sittings will be resumed at half-past ten a.m. to-day.