ARBITRATION COURT.

Oamaru Mail, Volume XV, Issue 7882, 12 July 1900, Page 1

ARBITRATION COURT.

(BY TEtEOBAPK.) Christehurch, July 11

At tho Arbitration Court to-day Nixon I Bros., tailors, were fined 20s, wilh Court | costs and witnesses' expenses, and £2 2n \ solicitor's fee, for breaches of the award i by employing more weekly wage hand* than they wire entitled to, and paying kws than the Union rate of wages. i The case brought by the Canterbury Carpenters' and Joiners" Association and the Christcliarck branch of the Amalgamated Society of Carpenters and Joiners against Rennje and Pcarce, builders, was preceded with. It was alleged on behalf i of the Union that Rennie and Pearce were paying lees than 10s 8d per day, as provided by the award i also, that they were not paying wages weekly. Counsel for the masters raised legal points regarding notice* of meetings to institute.proceeding*. The evidence on behalf of Rennie and Pearce showed that they wen? paying 10s 8d on all contract#' entered into unce December 12th, 1899, but with regard to previous contracts they had taken advantage of |he clause of the award providing that if 14 days' notice were glvtjn. to tl-» union* finut might pay the rat© of wages

in force inicld- Iho Inst, award. Tlir> ptwpnt, award was dated .lanwtry 22nd, lint, wan mil tiled I ill January 24th, and tUn union* '•"iik-nilii| tlmt 1 Ito not,ice whioh reached llirni mi February 7th ww two tiny* As .id (lio {iiyintMit. of wage*. Ronnie <uid I'caroo Ihn turn could have their Wages wipkly, I>||(. dill not IIK |( f,, r tjicm. riio film' was disinivsod, bicniiHP tho notlcOH with regard to millings did net comply flitli the terms of tho ,\el, hut no ikihl* wore allowed. Tin .tiimo during which IVnrai might give notice of an existing contract wus extended till l<*t>)irtiary 7th. The oilier eases against two other ilrniH stood or foil by tho decision given. In the course of tho proceedings his Honor stated, with regard to improvers, thai it «as n very undesirable chiRN, nnd (.ho Court hud ignored il> recognising only up. prentices nnd journeymen. Tho tonn journeymen was intended by the Court to include any mini working nt, tho trade who was not an apprentic-D. Willi regard to I ht> payment of wages, tho award suggested that an employed should go for hin money, since it provided that ho won to he paid for tiro timo spent in going- to hi* employer's oflieo and in waiting thorn His Honor remarked that ho wiih very sorry to f>oe thorp did not, appear <«> ho any groat desire on tho part of unions to niakn things work smoothly, With regard '<> (lie lirst charge against Uentiio and IVnroo the. objection was purely technical, and might, have been easily explained without being brought into Court. The men should, try to meet, tho employers as the latter should lev to meet the men. In coned brought, before llio Court, chiefly that, tho parties might- have their positions defined, only nominal penalties had boon inflicted, lint where one party slood on its strict legal right it must not complain if tho other gols its full pound of flesh. 11l reply to the Secretary of the Carpenter's and .1 ninoin' Association ns to whether a Maxtor was at liberty to employ workmen at n raits under 10s 8d per day without a. permit hi.< Honor said Hint if from any reason whatever a, journeyman was not qualified to earn the wage, fixed by Ihe Court ho must receive a ccrtilieate from tho Hoc re* lary of tho Union.