ARBITRATION COURT

Otago Daily Times, Issue 18676, 4 October 1922, Page 5

ARBITRATION COURT

THE TYPOGRAPHICAL DISPUTE. (Per United Press Association.) WELLINGTON, October 3. Before tho Arbitration Court in the typographical case several witnesses were called *° r the employees. f?onio referred to tiio effect that tho general conditions of the printing trade had on tire health of the workers. Tho brilliancy of the metal used in the monotype machines was, it was asserted, detrimental to tho eyesight of the workers. Frederick A. Cleveland, secretary of tho Auckland Typographical Union, said that tho printing trade in Auckland was prosperous, without any doubt. At least six new printing firms had started in Auckland during the currency of tho existing award. The membership of the union had increased from 235 to 26/. There had been very few men out of work, lie did not think there would have been one man out of work except for some now arrivals from Home, although he did not desire to reflect upon them. He. thought he was safe in saying that there had been an increase in volume of the advertisements in the two Auckland daily newspapers. Some discussion arose in regard to (he demand of the union that workers in offices where artificial light-is in general use during the daytime shall receive 10 per cent, above those rates stipulated therein. His Honor remarked that he did not see how (he court could agree to include such a provision in its award. Some offices, he said, must work with artificial light! The request of the union was. he thought', a matter for an inspector of the Labour Department to deal with. George Savage, jobbing compositor, Wellington, said that from his experience tho jobbing printing trade in Wellington was very prosperous. Mr Chapman was proceeding to examine witness in regard to the skill of a competent jobbing compositor, when his Honor remarked that the court was quite satisfied that it was a highly skilled trade. Witness said there had been a fall in prices in certain kinds of printing paper, and that the reduction in the cost of paper would, in his opinion, justify an increase being granted in wages. Pcrcival Thompson, piecework linotype operator, Wellington, said it was incorrect to say that the average hours of piecework operators was 35 per week. Three or four hours should be added to that time during which operators were making up their piecework dockets. The increased rate asked by the union for piecework was reasonable. There was no reason why piecework operators in New Zealand should bo tho lowest paid iu the world. Linotype operators, remarked witness, were scarce in New Zealand. ant], in fact, in all countries. In his opinion that showed that a high degree of skill was required for such operators. He admitted that ho had probably earned £9 13s 9tl per week on piecework, sometimes over that, but he said his average had been £8 5s sd. It was unfair to compare work done by a piecework operator and an operator on regular wages. William Thompson, piecework operator, Dunedin, said the conditions in the present award with regard to piecework were generally speaking fair, but some minor changes were desirable —for instance, in regard to difficult and complicated matter. The trouble was that one office had claimed that what tho union considered was disadvantageous matter was ordinary matter. ILe average amount earned by piece workers in his office was about £7 a week. Tho union’s claim of an additional penny per thousand was in his opinion justified, because that rate would permit men to work n littlo less strenuously. Tho hearing will bo resumed to-morrow.