SHEARERS’ DISPUTE

Otago Daily Times, Issue 18676, 4 October 1922, Page 4

SHEARERS’ DISPUTE

ARBITRATION COURT’S AWARD. (Per United Press Association.) CHRISTCHURCH. October 3. The aware! of the Arbitration Court in the shearers’ dispute has been, filed. The court has not granted the claim of lire employers for a general reduction in rates of pay. nor has it granted the request of (ho workers for an increase. The court has proceeded on the flat rate principle for all classes of work: The award provides that the rate for shearing bv hand shall be not less than £1 4s per 100, with rations, for shearing by machine not less than £1 4s per 100 with rations; and for lambs, £1 4s. In cases where shearers find themselves in rations these rates shall be increased by 5s per 100. The rate for stud sheep shall be settled by agreement betjveon the employer and the shearer. Th-° rate for shearing hogget rams shall bo rate and a-half. and for other rams double the ordinary rate. In a memorandum. Mr Justice Frazer says : The principal matters referred to the court were shearing rates, and shed hands’ wages. Beth the employers and the workers claimed that the average weekly tally, which wins adopted last year as the basis of our calculations, was incorrect. The employers, were of the .opinion that the number was an underestimate, and the, workers maintained that it w’as an overestimate. W r p are inclined to think that the difference between the parties is to some extent due to a varying in the averages from district to district, but the evidence adduced is insufficient to justify us in concluding that the number arrived at last year (450) does not represent the dominion average with reasonable* 'accuracy. We have adjusted the rates in accordance tfith the. movement in the cost of living down to September. 1922, and have accordingly excluded the, 'award from the operation of the next general order to be made by the court under the provisions of the Industrial Conciliation and Arbitration Amendment Act. In other respects (his award the lines of the !a;l award, with some alterations which w’crc agreed on at the Conciliation Council at Christchurch and adopted by the parties.