A QUESTION OF TWEEDS.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 21032, 22 May 1930, Page 6

A QUESTION OF TWEEDS.

ARBITRATION COURT DECISION. A NEW CLASSIFICATION. The dispute between the Otago and Southland Woollen Mills Employees’ Union and the Roslyn Woollen Mills Company, which was referred to the Conciliation Council, and in respect to which a decision was given by the Coni missioner (Mr VV. H. Hagger), which did not meet with the approval of the employees, has now been definitely settled as a. result of a judgment given by the President of the Arbitration Court (Mr Justice Frazer), in which he disposes of the difficulty of the classification of tweeds by ordering that the particular material which has been the cause of the dispute shall hereafter be regarded as a class by itself, and its handling paid for in term§ of a special instruction included in the judgment. CONCILIATION PROCEEDINGS. The question for settlement when the matter was before the Conciliation Council was as to the payment for a certain material designated by the union as being “ tweed ” and by the employers as being “ dress tweed.” The union’s representatives made statements as to the material being the former and the employers as 1 to the latter. The union representatives stated that the opera tion of manufacture was exactly, the same as in the case of men’s tweed, ex cept that the material was 54 inches in width, as against the 50 and 58 inches in men’s material. In view of the contradictory state ments made at the sitting, the commissioner said he had great diffidence in giving a decision in the matter. His decision read: “I have no doubt, however, that the material is tweed and is used for the purpose of overcoating for women’s wear. ■The difficulty now .arises whether the payment for the weaving should be tbe same as the prices fixed for men’s material, or whether the prevailing customs should obtain of paying for same at the rate provided for women’s material. I think, in view of the fact that the date of tin* award has expired, it would be wise for the parties to make representation to the court for' a uniform rate of payment for similar work in the various mills covered, by the award and to try and arrange for a y clear and concise log to be set out by the court for the .guidance of the parties.” The union did not agree with the decision, and as a result the court was asked to fix piecework prices for the material concerned. | JUDGMENT OF THE COURT. The judgment delivered by Mr Justice Frazer is as follows: This is an appeal from a decision of the Conciliation Commissioner. The court is of the opinion that the classification of tweeds into two grades —dress tweeds and tweeds—is unsatisfactory, in view of the fact that a range of ladies’ overcoating tweeds is now being manufactured. These tweeds occupy an intermediate position between genuine dress tweeds and ordinary tweeds. The court thinks that the fairest way of settling the dispute is to recognise ladies’ overcoating tweeds as a separate class, and to provide a sepa rate rate of payment for weaving them This rate should be somewhat nearer to the rate for tweeds than to the rate for dress tweeds. The court therefore orders that after May 13, 1930, the following shall be added to the weaving log of the Roslyn Woollen Mills:—“Ladies’ overcoating tweeds: Per shot, 43d; per shuttle, Is 4d.”