FREEZING DISPUTE

New Zealand Times, Volume XLVIII, Issue 11048, 3 November 1921, Page 4

FREEZING DISPUTE

LOCAL HEARING CONCLUDED BONUSES TO BE PAID TIED NEW AWARDS FILED. CONCILIATION PROCEEDINGS. The hearing of the freezing dispute was continued yesterdav afternoon. The court consisted of His Honour Mr Justice Frazer (president), and Messrs W. Scott (employers’ representative) and M. J. Reardon (employees’ representative). Mr A. S. Cookson conducted the case for the employers and Messrs F. J. Niall and Mr W. E. Sill for the employees. Mr Cdokson brought further evidence in support of the employers’ claims. THE SHIFT SYSTEM. Arthur J. German, fellmongery manager at the Ngahauranga works, said that the shift system, as sought by the companies, was a necessity from the financial point of view. Under the present system the companies had to pay ordinary rates for eight hours of the 24, and overtime rates for the remainder. If killing was proceeding at full capacity, his department could not cope with the work except by working shifts. There had been an unreasonable demand for clothing and boots last year, the supplies in liis department alone involving an expenditure of €259. Mr Reardon expressed the opinion that if the companies seaured the shift system it could be of no value to them. William Anderson, foreman of the tallow department at the Imlay works, Wanganui, said that night shifts were necessary in his department, as the working conditions at his centre were unusual. Mr Niall: You want to go hack to the old system, whereby a ,man had to start work at midnight, when his. wife had to get up and cook his breakfast for him ?—Yes. This concluded fhe case for the employers.' COMPANIES TO PAY BONUS. Mr Cookson announced that, recognising the importance of His Honour’s statement with reference to the continuance of the bonus until the date of operation of the new awards, and in view of the arrangement that awards covering the whole Dominion would he made /as soon l as possible after the Christchurch hearing, the companies had decided to accept the court’s suggestion to continue paying the bonus in idle meantime. The works would he opened at existing rates, and whatever adjustment was necessary would he made when the awards were available. Mr Sill said that his side was not in n position to give any evidence in the Wellington district. His Honour said he was prepared to take the federation’s evidence dur r tng the Christchurch, sitting. Mr Cookson said that generally speaking hie case affected the whole Dominion, except in minor respects. The ' case he would bring in Christchurch ■ would be similar to that presented in Wellington. His Honour advised Mr Cookson to confine his address at Christchurch to any fresh matter he wished to bring forward; the ground he had already broken need not he re-covered. “THE CONCILIATORY SPIRIT.” His Honour, in conclusion, said that the court appreciated the conciliatory spirit in which the proceedings had been conducted. The court had anticipated that the hearing would be rather a stormy one, and somewhat troublesome; They admitted the case was a difficult one, but they honed that the award, when framed, would be satisfactory for both parties. They also' appreciated the assistance that had been given to the court by both sides. It had been a pleasure,, he;said, to conduct the case. Everything had gone smoothly and amicably, and they hoped that hv the time the court reached Christchurch the parties would have been able to settle between themselves some of the technical points in dispute, and that their reference to the court of such matters would he unnecessary. His Honour agreed to take the Christchurch hearing on November 17th, 18th, and 19th.