THE STRIKE CLAUSE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLV, Issue 13583, 12 September 1908, Page 6

THE STRIKE CLAUSE.

PRINCIPLE OF THE ACT.

SHEARERS' POINT OF VIEW.

[BY TKLEURAPH.PRESS ASSOCIATION.]

Christuhcrgh. Friday. Mr. P. F. D'Arcy, the representative of the Shearers' Union, when questioned on the subject of Mr. Justice Sim's recent remarks, said the " strike clause" was diametrically opposed to the principle underlying the Arbitration Act. It was the intention of the Act to abolish sweating, but the effect of the clause would be merely to secure compulsory industrial peace, which was a very different thing to that which was intended.

Dealing with tho specific case of the application of the clause to the shearers' award, Mr. D'Arcy said that any attempt to put tho clause into operation would result in the destruction of the award. Anyone who knew anything of the conditions of shearing would realise that it was impossible for the union to exercise control over all the sltods. The men were isolated from one another, and if the shearers in any particular shed struck work (which they could do without consulting the union) then the whole 1500 men engaged in the shearing industry would have to suffer on account of the action of the few.

The clause referred to, he said, would render it possible for any disaffected employer who thought the Court had awarded too high a rate of pay to prompt a handful of non-unionists to join the union for the purpose of committing a strike, involving the whole union. The result would bo that the award would be cancelled, thereby giving the award and the union into the hands of non-unionists. OTAGO MINING AWARDS. GREEN ISLAND DISPUTE. [BY TELEGRAPH. —PRESS ASSOCIATION-.] , Dc.VEniK, Friday. The Arbitration Court awards in the Otago coal mining disputes have been received by the clerk of awards. In the Green Island dispute the principal points in issue were the question of weighing coal and the hewing rates. The Court held that the union had failed to make out a case for a change in the present system, but it appeared that during the negotiations between the parties, the employers bad offered certain increases, and the Court granted what the employers were willing to concede. Shift wages are not to be less than 10s per shift. No change has been made regarding trucking. That portion of the awards dealing with strikes, is to the effect that the union shall do all in its power to prevent strikes, and if a strike by any workers affected by the award occurs, the award shall be suspended and the hours of work, wages, etc., shall be fixed by agreement between each employer and the individual workers employed by him. In connection with the Taratn dispute, the Court inserted clauses on matters that had not been settled at the preliminary conference. Shift wages were fixed at 10s, , with Is extra when working dips, bowing j rates are those offered by the company, i viz., 2s 9d,' an increase of 3d per ton. i The miners, it is stated, failed to satisfy the Court that tho rates offered by the company would not enable them to earn a j living wage. I APPRECIATION OF FARMERS. [BY TELEGRAPH.PRESS ASSOCIATION.] Feiloing, I Friday. A guinea subscription fund was opened this afternoon at the request of representa- ', tive farmers as a means of showing appreciation of the .successful efforts of the farmers of Canterbury in opposing the demands of the Farm Labourers' Union. Within a short time 11 farmers from Feilding, Cheltenham, Waituna. Bulls, Aorangi, ?tfakino, Awahuri, and Kiwitea had contributed a guinea each. The organisers of the fund also mtend the movement to be an expression of confidence in the Arbitration Court's attitude towards the agricultural and pastoral interests.