ARBITRATION COURT.

Oamaru Mail, Volume XXXVI, Issue 10096, 13 March 1909, Page 4

ARBITRATION COURT.

(Pkb Fitess Association.) Wellington, March 12. To-day, at the S.M. Court, before Dr M'ArthuY, the Wellington Seamen's Industrial l.'nini: of Worker/ proceeded against the Union Steam Ship Company (Ltd.) for alleged breach of the Arbitration Court award on the 4th April, 1908. The claim concerned tin payment of William l.iiidiiuisi. quarterdeck hand. Mr \V. T. Young represented the Seamen's Union, and Mr Kirby the Union Steam Ship Company. Mr \oung said tile principal involved was of eight hours a day. William Lindquist, a quarterdeck hand on the Maori, had been compelled to work nine hours a day for six days of the week, and a couple of hours on Sunday prior to the vessels arrival in port, without receiving any overtime, whilst ostensibly under an eight hours' system. Class Bof the seamen's award, 1908, did not apply to a dayman, for the reason that- he was not a man on watch. He argued that if shipowners saw fit to work any man under the day system, the rules in respect to hours'of labor to apply at sea, if that were began there was nothing in the award to govern the hours of labor for daymen. Mr Kirbv, on. behalf of the Company, admitted" the facts. If Mr Young's* contentions were approved by the Court it would'make a difference of £I2OO per annum to the Union Company. After denting with certain argument of "the secretary to the Union, counsel said that he held that so long as a seaman was on deck he was on watch, there to be called upon at any time. No overtime should be paid between the hours of 6 a.m. and 5 p.m. at sea. Tho practice of his Company was a universal one, and sanctioned by "custom. Hours «Jf labor were much longer in companies outside, the Union Company. As regarded, the Maori she earned five more hands than the schedule provided. Evidence was called to showthat the Maori's general deck, hands did not work more than 56 hours per week over the seven days. It was pointed out that it would be impossible on passenger boats to get the decks clear in time if the quarterdeck hand began a£ seven o'clock instead of six as at present. Mr Kirby characterised tho action as a very frivolous one, and' onder-soction 86 of the ISOS Industrial Arbitration and Conciliation Act should be dismissed with costs. His Worship rrscrved his decision until the 19th inst.