COST-OF-LIVING BONUS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LIX, Issue 18079, 2 May 1922, Page 6

COST-OF-LIVING BONUS.

THE COURT'S DECISION.

PROBABLY NEXT WEEK. [by telegraph.—-press association.] WELLINGTON. Monday.

It is understood that the decision of the Arbitration Court in regard to. the cost of living bonus will be delivered in Auckland at the beginning of next week.

REDUCTION OPPOSED.

BUTCHERS' APPLICATION.

An application was filed yesterday by Mr. W. E. Sill, secretary of the Auckland Butchers' Union, for the exemption of the butchers from any order for the reduction of existing rates of wages which the Arbitration Court might make under section 9 of the Industrial Conciliation and Arbitration Amendment Act, 1921-1922. The application seta out that under the existing economic conditions the butchering industry is enjoying exceptional prosperity and that the present award affecting the trade embodies an agreement arrived at by the parties, a specific term of which ia that the rates of remuneration are to remain unaltered for two years. Mr. Sill stated yesterday that the rates being received by the employees in this trade had been agreed upon as the basic wage, and although the recent legislation enabled the Court to consider the reduction of the basic wage as well as the cost of living bonus and the onus was on the union to show why no Buch reduction should be made, they had entered into a definite agreement with the employers and contended that the latter should keep to it. He said that application was based on the high price of meat as there was no doubt that fcho had been making enormocts profits. The trade had not been affected by the slump and for that reason it was held that the wages of the workers should not be reduced. He thought that this was probably the first application of its kind filed in New Zealand.