THE COST OF A SUIT.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20235, 20 April 1929, Page 17

THE COST OF A SUIT.

TJRIJCKLAND JAILOR'S VIEW*

'CHEAPER PRICE IN DUNEDIN.

arbitration court evidence. 'A vory largo measure of agreement was reported in the tailors' dispute that came before the Arbitration Court yesterday morning. Tho only matters that tho Conciliation/ Council had been unablo to settle concerned wages, and tho Court, was asked to determino the minimum rnto of wage?, tho question of deductions and iho hourly rato for ladies' tailoring. The present minimum weekly wage is £4 15s, and the union asked that this bo increased to £4 19s. There was also an application for tho exemption of cleaners and dyers from the provisions of the award, with a view to bringing them under the Clothing Trado Award. Mr. S. E. Wright represented tho emplovers and Mr. W. S. Moxsotn tho union. In the application regarding tho cleaners and dyers, concerning which thero was difference of opinion between two sections of the employers, Mr. F. S. Morton appeared for tho master dyers and cleaners and Mr. H. N. Frcston for tho mastejr iailors.

Tho exemption of the cleaners and dyers jfrom tho Tailoring Award was opposed by Mr. Moxsom, who said the cleaners and dyers wero in competition with tailors in doing alterations, mending and renovation. Ho admitted that the dyers and cleaners were under tho Clothing Trado Award in Dunedin. Mr. Wright said tho difference was that ihe clothing trade received an hourly wage, while the tailors received a weekly wage. In the tailoring dispute Mr. [Wright said the employers were asking to bo given the option of paying either pn an hourly or a weekly basis. Hector Norman Preston, president of the Master Tailors' Association, said there had been & marked falling off in bespoke tailoring work during tho last

three years. iHo attributed this to the 1 keen competition of factory work. An hourly wage system would enable them to pick up a man who sought employment, and if he was not suitable they could dismiss him and give someone else a chance. The hourly wage would enable them to rearrange their staffing so as to effect a ■j saving of a £1 a suit. They had many customers who wanted a good tailor-made suit, but they would not pay more than £lO. Tailors could not turn out a suit at that prico. His Honor: il am wondering how my man in Dujfedin can do it at ten guineas and makeji good job of it. Is it a different method they have ? Witness said that ten guineas would not enable them to carry on and show a profit. Neither the' employers nor the union representatives present had heard of any special arrangement with tho union in Dunedin. His Honor said there was such a system there and it bad worked so satisfactorily that the Court had not been bothered for a new award for a long time. His Honor suggested to another witness that he should get in touch with

a tailor he named in Dunedin, who would probably be able to tell him something that would bo to his advantage. To Mr. Moxsom witness said that 55 1-3 per cent, on sales was the trade profit.

Mr. Moxaom said many customers paying eight or , nine guineas were led to believe they were getting a tailor-made buit, but all these suits were made in l'acI lories. Alfred Bevege said that the hourly system would enable him to subdivide the work and reduce costs of production. The costs ot production of a tailored suit was £5 2s 6d, as against £2 5s for a factory Suit.