CONCILIATION BOARD.

Otago Witness, Issue 2292, 3 February 1898, Page 23

CONCILIATION BOARD.

PASTRY COOKS' DISPUTE. A sitting of the Canciliatiou Board was held at the Supreme C.<urt on the 25th ult. fo: the purpose of coesidi-ring a dispute between the Uunedin Bakeis and Pastrycooks' Union and the following master pastrycooks : William Wood, J. lloT.kins> JC. Aldred, E. Brown, S Lean, and Mrs Einnie. The lttanibers of the board present were Mes-rs W. A Sim (chaii-ma.»i), R. Ferguson, J A. Millar, MHR., G. P. Faiquhar, and G. I, Sise. Mr Aiming represented the Bakers an 4 Pastrycooks' Union, and Messrs J. Brown aad J. Oliver were alßo in attendance on behalf of the union. Messrs E. Aldred and 11. B^owa wero the only master, pastrycooks p-re&eat. The claims of the union set forth in the order of reference in thfe dispute were as follow :—: — "1. That no member of this union woik more than eight hours a da^ , commencing at 7 o'clock a.m. ; half an hour for breakfast ami one hour for diHßer. If overtime is required tinift and aqnarter shall be paid up to 8 p.m., time aad a-half up to midnight ; and that no work be doae after that hour save in case of emergency, when double time skill be paid. "2. That foremen shall receive no less than £3 per wtek, and second bands no less than £2 10s per w««k. "3. That no more than one appr- ntice be allowed to one or two men, and no more than two apprentices ia any b Icehouse. "4. That boys after one or two months shall be bewnd for a peiiod of five years. "5. 'I hat pa-trycooks shall s»-art work at 5 o'clock a m. on Saturdays and finish at hilt-paat 1 in the af tei noon. "6. That union men shall have preference in employment " ■ Mr Aldrod stated that Mr Wood was out of towji and Mr Hopkins was umt-el?, \rhilsi. Mr Lean was unable to be- present owii-t; to a business engagement. He had bad a taJk over the mutter with Mr Wood, and knew wbM his views were. Mr Sim : You appear for him ? Mr AMredi We have not his authority for t&at. Mr Arming said if there was any likelihood of aa amicable settl-meut beiag come to it would perhaps facilitate the business before the court if they tw! j.-uriie<i for half an hour and had a taik over the matter. Mr Aidred obseived that if the union modified their demands then the masters u»ight considei the quettinn of talking over matters, but not otsh«rwise. He understood that the m«n had aeked for a gres,t deiil m^re than they ej:p»ct-ed ■ba g«t. The m-wters had coiie to (he conclusion tfeat the demand* of the men wore far in excess of what they ceultl agree to. Mr Sim btated th?-t in the event of any arrangement beipg come to between t- c t artks it wonW not be binding on the employers who were not prt«ent, as the masi-eis had not come to any aiTneg-meut amongst themselves as to what they weald do. In reply to Mr Sim, Mr Aldred said the mastf rs were prepared to oosoede nine houi-o as a day's work, with the hours of starting atid stopping work io be left to mutual ai'rangement between crnjjloyer end employee, 54 hours to be worked ia on 3 we. k before any overtime started They thought a man was oat-tied to receive the same payment for overtime as he received for his regular hours. They considered £3 a week was too much for foremen, a*d were prepared to pay £2 1-* per week, with 10s less when "the men were found ; with regard to second hands, they theugat 35a a wosk was f-ufllcieiit, with 10s less when" foutd. They obja«t*:d to the provisions for b.»ys, and wanted two boys at least for every bakehouse. AYith regard to apprentices, they thought that t-hould be left ovet until the Master and Apprentice Bill became l&w Ia regard to the employment of men, speaking personally, he would ignore the f^et of whether a man belonged to a uni<*n or not. He would employ him on the giounds of his ability to suit him, and not merely b--cau&e he belonged to or did not baloug to a union. Mr Aldred asked why Mr Connor had not been isclu-i'ed in the dispute. Wr Aunir^g replied that it was owing to an oversight. The union, however, knew that Mr Connor would agree to the recommendation of the board. If it would be any sitisfac'ion to the other side to have Mr Connor included he would seed for him. Mr Arming then proceeded to open the case for the union. Ho said since the union had been before the court in connection with the balcero' dispuce they had tried t» meet the p-istryaonk* and c©me to some an-arig«ruent, but tae masteis had ignored thrm alt'>gethor. Continuing, Mr Anting ta*d : The conditions of labour under which persons engaged iv the partly baking trjde are woiking in i>utiedin are very similar to the bakers. They differ to a certain ex*eat, but the difference in no way indicates 0. better condition for them. For example, tfcej don't start woik so early as the baker, but thpy work as L>ng hours. ' The work being of a lighter natuie, the employers in consequence have moie boys engaged at it. However, the ws^es are about the same, and lun from 25s to 50« per week of from CO to 70 hours. But I have known cases where 90 hour 3 have been worked without extra p^y. The union have on two occ.isi«ns communicated with the masters ■with the view of discuising the rules a»d to try and come to an amicable p,rrangement, but I amsoiry to say that, with 0113 single exception, they ignored our overtures. With these few remarks, I now came to the mutters in dispute. The. first point under the heading of hours of starting work is: (1) "That no member of this union work more thr.n eight hours a day, exclusive of meal-times, commencing at 7am, wi'h half an hour for breakfast and one hour for dinner." I have to inform the court that the eight-hour system was worked in pnnedin some years ago, and I intend to prove thi^ by evidence. The hours Worked at the present time are very difficult for anyone_ to accurately tell, for the reasosr that there is practically no systeii to regulate them. It is a sort of go avyou please system so far as the masters are concerned. To let the court properly understand the method I am attempting to describe, the following example will, I think, show you what I jenean : — Tu one or two pastrycooks' shops the men commence work at 7 a.m., and in some instances work till 12 noon, then they have something to cat in the bakehouse. This is done for tho purpose of keeping an eye on the oven. The moment

they have swallowed their dinner they are up and at it again. Then they may perhaps get away at 6or 7 p.m. It nny occur at tins hour, when the men aie prepaiing to go h' me, that an order comes from the shop for pies, cakes, or other goods, the want of which tho employer may have overlooked or run short of. Thg men are forced, under existing circumstances, to go and prepare same, which may take another hour or so. In fact, there is no stipulated time for knocking off, and when emergencies arise, mch as ball', parties, holidays, &-c, the men are asked to come at 4 o'clock in the morning, and worked to 8, 9, or 10 o'clock at night For instance, at Jubilee week the men had to woik 90 hours, without receiving corresponding remuneration The major poition of the shops have no defiuite starting ho'«r. Some start at 6 o'clock in the morning, others sgain at 7, but on two mornings in every week the starting hour is 4 o'clock The fewest hours worked in any shop, which I am prepared to piove, is about 62per week. I submit ftom the facts I have brought before the court that the hours arked by the pashycooks — \iz., eight per day— be taken into consideration, with the view of embodying same in the award. I now come to the second point trader this heading— viz , oveitime. The union ask that this be paid time and a-quarter up to 8 p.m., time and a-hulf up to 12 p.m , and that no work be done a f ter that t'me tave in case of emergency, when double time sh^ll bi paid. I would also a«k the couit to ine'ude fll Sunday and statutory hoMdays vip-dar the latter category— that in, tht>y be paid double rates. I think that Ism perfectly safe in saying that all overtime work is for the convenience of the masters, and, thia being the case, reason dictates that the employee should be consider, d in the matter. A Krse amount of the overtime labour done by us is used for ball?, p^rti^s, church boireep, marriages, &c , and the catotingfor same is beyond a doubt well paid. People when getting married and when giving balls, parties, &c, are gent-r^lly in a generous nioo4, and part with their money freely. Seeing that Euch is the casa, I think that the men who have to forego their night at home with their families, and remain fay into the night ia a stuffy and unhealthy bakehouse, are surely entitl--d to some cons-id«ra-tion. We don't want to work overtime, but if we are under existing circumstances compelled to do 60, then I submit we ought to be paid for it. I have known, and I am prepared t« prove, that the men engaged in this tra<<e have had to start work at 6 o'clock on a Sunday night, worked all night to breakfast time on Monday morning, v.nd all this without any extra payment. I niny say, however, that Sunday woik is not what one would tctm prevalent-, but it does now a*»d then occur. In some shops it is the custom to work till 9 ot" 10 o'clock on Saturday night. Why this should be 1 am at r Io 8 to understand, knowing as I do that; the goods could be easily manufactured within tho eight hours. I weuld b!s« a-k tbe court to take this point into their conti^eration when adjusting the terms The next paint is the rale of wa^es. The union ask th*t foremen be paid £3 per week and second hands £2 10s I am soiiy to t.ay that the wages paid are unr&tcoaably low— in fact, lam ash*med to state thetn* but, with the hope of something being aecomprislied to better their condition in this respect, I will inform the court a« to the truth in thig matter, and which I intend to substantiate by evidence. There are men who are now eight years at the trade receiving 25s per week, 3-ml out of this have to keap a wife aad family. Others I kaow h*ve been over four years at it a*d are in receipt of the munificent eu«i of 15^. Again, I know them to be over five years at thia trade, and aie paid 20s per "week. In making a lequest of this kind it naturally fallows that we must advance argument to show tlw.t our demand? are leasomble, and thst the employers (ha aff>-id to p*y the rate of wsgi-e asked (or out of cur labour It was ebown conclusively that the master bakers had ample margin of profit to pay the wages asked by their employees. And if &ueh was the c«se in regard to th>*m the master pa«try bakers are in a better po-uiion in t3iis respect, beciuse the profits out of paltry are consirie-ably larger tfoan owt of bread. The account that I now submit to the o«urt is one d«y's work far four perssns. You will observe that I have given a lainute d-etailed statement showing cost of material manufactured, whi- h shews the eo«t price at £3 Is 7d. In addition to this I add for incidental expe* s*a 6<, made up as follows : One day's rent 3s 4d, coal Ik, gas or water Is 81 ; also th-e munificent sum of 18s 9d far labour, male up efi follows : — Two men at 6s M each per day, 13s 4A ; one bey (so the employer ells him), 21 years, 3s <W per day ; and another of thib clais of boy, 18 ye.srs, at 2s_ li per day. This makes the gross cost of material, labour, a«d incidental expenses £4 6s 4(3. The price realised fr«m tlve sV!e of the material i 1 - £9 Os 8f), leaving a net profit per day to the employer of £i Us 4 1, for an expenditure of 18* 9<Hn w»ges to thrwe_able men and a youth. [Ae.*outst put in.] Of course the em»'oyets will tell you that they cannot afford to pay higher wages, the profits out of the business being so 6n»all that they are simply making a bare subsistence. As for paying boye of 21 scare and upwa'di; nwre than £\ p«r w«"k, it is out of the question, as ihese individuals are not w«rth more ; in point of fact, they are told, v/ben they have the temerity to ask for high-r wages, that they are only empl«yed through charity, and if they don't lilci the wages th--y can l<rav« th-. work, as tb€>e are plenty of y*>u»g b»yt> 21 jearti o4d nosing round the bakehouse who would jump at such a job. To my own knowledge, I know ef one of these boys, aged 25 ye».-s, whe ha<i been at tho trade for about se»en yours, aad who worked for a pistiy baker in Priwaes street, aad was paid 80s per we»k Oo oae occasion be worked 103 honrs in one week, exclusive of meal hourc. When getting paid ou Saturday night he had the impudence to ask his employer for overtime. All t'&e satisfaction he get f«r his trouble was : " Toot, toots, niOD, thi'ijcE _a*e no paying." The "equel of all this was that this iaexpeuenoed boy left this large-hearted employer and to«»k the management of afirbt- lass p«*try baktr factory in Geo-ge street at £2 10s per week and three m^als a d&y. Yet. another case, but in this instance the boy unfoitunately is a niarrie*! man, ag-d £6 or 27 yours and is in reco'pt of 25s per w«-ek, and this after being eeven or eight years ut the trad*. I could quote plenty »f other oases just as hud as these, but will ccuri.ent myself by submitting to the Gourfc that the dem*»d «f the u»i*n s.hould meet with due conndetaHon a-s I have given sufficient data to justify an amendment in the direction indicated In respect to i^bbeiti, thflM union's stipulation is that they shall be p«id 10s when emplo>e<l by the day. but if they work continouely every day for a week the payment shall be £2 10s. I doß't anticipate any difficulty ia getting this point conceded, as the demand is on all-fours with the ayetsru now prevailing. The first clause under the headiag of apprentices is : "That no more than o^e apprentice to one or two men, and no more than Wo nppi entices in aay one shop." I submit th*t this is a subject that does n^>t rtquiie any great amount of coosidcrntion. The court will remember, in my opening remarks, that I showed that the apprentices, or rather what the emplaj'ers c*ll apprentices, outnumbei the journeymen by 51 per cent. lam of opinion that the rejfcivUtien asked by us would meet the case fairly, and would entail no hardship on the employer. I thiak that I have shown to the court thst thene appi entices, or the inajsrity »«f them, are first-class tradesmen, and it is owing to the fact of this trade bei»g so circumscribbd that the empl'-yers can manage to keep men who are good tradesmen at boys' WRge3, The moment one of them can get a shift .into another factory up go his wases to what is called the cunentrate. Unfortunately, shift', are few and far between, which accounts, combined with the apathy of the employer, for the degraded position of these so-called apprentices. Ia regal d io our request that no more than two apprentice's fee permitted in any one shop, we contend that two apprentices are quite sufficient for the largest rjastvy baker bu-iness in New Zealand, let alone Dunedio. The largest number, including apprentices, employed iv one &lsop here ia five. I therefore suiwnir, on these grounds", that the numbers stipulated in the order of leferonce be placed on the award. I now come to the laat point on the order of reference, which stipulates that pastrycooks shall start work on Saturdays at 5 o'clock a.m. and thall finish at 1.30 o'clock pm. It has alwayi b»en the custom in the trade to start early on Satin day with the view — a very lcmote one — of obtaiuins; a halfholiday. But it seems the eniploi cis took advan-

tage of this early starting business, and marie an evil out of what was oiiginaliy introduced as a msarw of obtaiaing ,1 little lecreation on the Saturday afternoon The employers, having a free aud unrestrained hand in this matter, tiot their men out at all hauis, and in some instances actually keep them immured in tha bakerj' up till 10, 11, and even to midnight. I hi»vo known a start to be matle at 12 o'clock (midniglit) on Sunday, sad work cin'inued for 12 hours at a stretch. In another bakery the men start at 7 o'clock on Saturday morning and work till 3, 4, and 5 p.m. ; then half ths number knock off, and the other half work light on till midnight if required. John Hamilton, who was then called, stat'-d that he had been woiking at Mr Leau'e for five years, and hsid been eight years at the trade. lie got 30^ a \veek and food. Since the union was before the b ard before he had recsivod ,1 rise of wages. He worked on ths average nine horns a day. He sometimes got oveitime, but could not demmd it. D.iring the Record lltign week he got 15- overtime He was 22 year, of agp, and manicd. William Wood stated that he was working for William Wood and getting 25s a wetk. He had been in his pre-ent employment for five years.'. He got 25s a w-:?k aud food. Prior to the New Year he wis getting £1 a week for 12 months. He reckoned he was a qualified journeyman. Duriug the Record lleigc week he got 10s overtime. Jelm Oliver, who was working for William Wood as a foreman, stat- d that ho ws getting £2 a wsek. He got'no oveitime, but received a bonus of SO? at New Year time. He cjnsidered the la t witness a vety good hand. John Tsylor gave firnilm- evidence. Edward Aldred, called and examined by Mr Arming', dep^-ed that he hid been 13 years in buviuds as a master pa&tiycook. Previously he had learned the groceiy business. He had two boys in the bakehouse and a young fellow, and he worked theie himself. The young man got 35s a week, and his fosd in the bakehouse. The lads go* 12* a week each. One lad w-hb not 17, and the other wjs between 18 and 19 They started at 7 and let off ab3ut 5. There was no stated dinner h 'iir, but tUej ha:l their dinner and then a re«t, starting when it was needful, lie did iwt take work for holiday?, because he did not \raut to wck at night himself; an>i he did not want to have anything to do with Socialism. He was telling the truth, and if not was content to stand the CfitifiequencfS for perjury. To Mr Millar : Jf a Ud was to learn the trade he ought to l>e put to the bench, and tiere should be another lad for r«use»bout work, who in two years' time should ssttut at the beach. A lad should lnarn in four years if put to the bench, but if kept at the diity wotk be wonld not learn much. For this leason there sheuid be two l?ds in every shop. Personally, if he had had a boy for five years he would, if passible, take him as a jouencymau at the standard rate of wages. A fvtir w»ge for a foreman was £2, 10s, and for a second band 35? Mr Millar : We have a statement which shows the piofit of two men's and two bays' work, showing o profit of £i Us 4d oa the men's wages in a day? Witness : I consider tlrat statement is a bit of bluff. The cost of material is put low, the l-stail prices high. The list includes goods sold only occß«ioaally, and at a high rate. H.very shop rio(K3 not want so big a, liat, and no shop w«nts them every day. N«thiag ia allowed for the cost of the shop, the shop assistants, and exp**ses, or for goods destroyed in making or remaining uuroM. Gilbert M'Dougall, employed by Mr Hopkins stated that he was not a member of the union. Sometimes he workrd more thau 56 hours 0. week aad sometimes lets. On the iverage, he thought, he worked 56 hours. He occupied the position of foreman, and received £2 103 a week and food. He dW not think eight hours a day would prove profitable to masters. He considered that 54 hours a week was a reasonable week's work. A'f't-er a man worked nine houis he hhould be naid overtime. He thought that 7 o'clock should ho the u<ual hour of- starting woik, and 5 o'clock on Monday morning and before a holiday. He did not think that apprentices should be bound. Two apprentices to one man were quite enough. He thought £2 10s a week was too much for a eeeond hand. Alexander Brown, who was employed by Mr Hopkins, deposed thit he got j£l a week and his board. He Iwd been there two years and a-h^lf. He sometimes worked 12 hours a day, sometimes 10, and sometimes nine. Dojjglas Airaishaw deposed that he used to work for Mr Aldred about three or four years ago. He went thsre as an improver, anJ worked threa cr four months. There were three boys there then. •Tames Connor, who was then called, stated that he was quit*! willing to be joined as a party to the dispute, and wn& jo?tiel accordingly. Mr AHred,, in *a4dres*ing the court, said that under the proposals a boy leaving s>chool would be out of his time when 19 years old, but he would not then have a man's abiltay or experience, an<l a man would be preferred to him unless room c-iuld be found for him where he had learned his tivwle. It seemed to him the object of the union was to squ«uze out the lads from all chance of eraploytnent, aod to make their union a close coip«iration,*with a monopoly of employment. Two hoys could wait on one man, but one boy c mid not wait on otic man and also have a chance to loam anything of the business, as one would be required to do the rough work, and it was n-eeceary that even wh/jre oae man was employed there should be two boys, so that oue, after doing rough work for a time, might then get to bench work and learn the businssp. On the score of eletnlioe^s, too, there ought to be two boys in a bakehouse, so that ous would not do the dirty woik aud also assist at beuch work at the same time. In fairness to the boys thore s.hc»uld be two, for if thero was only one he vrould be !?'-pt to one class of work, and one boy cert.nui> could not wait on two men and at the same time le.irn anything of the butioess. In conclusion, he said he should like to ask Mr Aiming a question or two. George Arming, called by Mi: AldteJ, said he was a broad baker a'u present, but was also a practical pastrycook. He had been in bu«in«ss far himself. If a man had served eight ye->is at a tiade and was married he should have as much as he could get for his labour, and at the least what w*s asked for in the ordei of lefeience. A second hand should ge^ £2 103 and a first hand £3. When in business two yeirs ago he himself e:npl«yed one maa at 17? Gi and g^ve him his btiarei and Ir-dging. When in Borne one had to do a* Rome do«s. But they wanted that state of thinjjs improved. None could compete with m<eu who employed boys and practically nothing but J»oys. Witness's employee worked nine or 10 hours a day — never niae and 10 put together ; but he might have worked 28 io the day if there were as many and he was required. lie had giv<;n his employee money for overtime, but not regulaily. No ose p»iid overtime in th«. trade. To Mr Sim : There would be about a d <zen jomntsjman pastrycooks working in Dunedm at the present time, and pome IS boys. Eleven pjvs'rjcioks 1 were members «f the union. Boy 3 wee not eligible for membeivl.ip. To Mr Ferguson : If two boys were allowed to oue man in the trade the boys, when they gsew up, crtulil not find employment at the trade. Mr Biown said he did not desire to give or to call evidence. Mi- Connor said 3ie expresstd his opinion previously in the bread-bakeis' dispute. He thought bakeis, like caipenteis, engineers, aad others, should be paid by the hour. He had employed carpenters, and when he settled with them there was nothing said about days, but so many hours w«re cuatged for. It seemed to him that was the way out of the difficulty. Mr Anniug pointed out that at present it was th* boys who were driving the men out of the trade, not the men who were heaping tbe bov3 out. Th+re was no use in boys learning a trade if, when they had learned it, they had to give it up and seek other employment. _Mr Sim announced that the board would consider the rcprebentaUons that had been m>\dp, and would Announce its recommendation at haltpjst 10 o'clock on the following morning. The bo-tul adjourned at 3.30 p.m. Tho sii tiiiEC of (he Conciliation Board wa<? '" " I ; ' S'lyrcme Court at half-pnst 10 o'clock on Wedna 'ay morning, 2Gfch ult,, all the members o tue uoard being piesent. '1 he Chairman (Mr W. A, Sim) announced the

award of the board on tho pastrycooks' dispute, the award being as follows :— 1. That the bouts of labour be eight and a-hplf hours per day, between the hours of 7 am. and 5 p.m., after which overtime shall be piH at the rate of time and a quaiter for the firat two hours, and thereafter at the r*te of time and a-half until midnight, after which double time shall be paid. Oa Saturday, Monday, or the day immediately preceding any public holiday work may be started at an hour not earlier than 5 a.m. Ariangements to be made between the union and the several employers as to the exact hours (within the above-mentioned limit?) during which the work is to be done so as to complete 51 hours per week by 1.30 p.m. on Saturday ; and also as to meal honrs, which are to bo half an hour for bieakfast and one hour for dinner. 2. That tho rate of wsge3 of a foienrtn bo s&ttled in etch case by agreement between the emplojer aud tho foreman. 3. That no journoyo an pasirycrok receive less than .C 2 2-3 pei week. If any journeyman caniqt obtain employment at this wage he may lefer his cass to the union, and tbe union may give him permission to work at a waga which his proposed employer is willing to pay and which the workman i-, willing to accept. 4. That the pioportion uf apprentices to jtyurneymen be as follows : For the iir/t one or two ir.eu, one apprentice ; for more than two men, and up to four men, two apprentice, acd so on oa the same proportion ; but this rccomrnendation is not to interfere with the existing engagements of any apprentices. 5. That the clause a3 to binding apprentices be stiuck out. 6 That members of the union bs employed in prefeionce to non-numbers, provided theie are membe'S of the union who are equally qualified with non-mcmbeis to perform the paiticular work required to be done, and are ready au* willing to undertake it. 7. That the last preceding recommendation is not to interfere with the existing engagements of Eon-membsrs, whose prereut employers may retain them in the pasne or other positions. 8. When l.od -members are employed there shall be no distinction between members and nonmeinlipia ; both shall work together in harmony, and both shall work under the some conditions and receive equal pay for equal work. 9. That the foregoing recommendations be embodied in an industrial agreement to remain in force till the 31st December, 1898. Dated this 2-th day of January, 1898. The pAilies were given until Tuesday morning, at 10 30, to accept or .otherwise deal with the a-WAi-d. COAL MINERS' DISPUTE. A meeting of the Conciliation Board was held at the Courthouse, Palinerston, on Friday, for the purpose of ensidcring a dispute between the AUandale Coalminers' Industrial Union and the Allandale Coal Company. The members of the board pMSfcnt were : Messrs G. P. SVquhar (acting chairman), Gr. L. Sise, J. A. Millar, M.11.R., and R. Ferguson. Mr George Smith (president of the union) aud Mr William Torrance (secretaiy) uppcared on behalf of the union, and Messrs A. M'lnto3h, If. Grabara, and W. Everest for the coal rempany. The following are the claims of (he union as contained in the order of reference in the dispute :—^ CiVIULINO OR BUYLOTINO. 1. That a system of cavilling under the following rules bo put in fc.ce ;— (a) Headings, level*, and pillai-3 to be cavilled for specially, the manager having the option of objecting to persons going ia for same \vi>om he may deem incompetent for such work. (6) General c*vill to take place af Lei wards, (c) First man out of place to bs put into the lirct p"! <cc \<ic*»t (d) Unsuccessful cavillers for *p-' „' cUoi j, if dp«irous, tocavill fur the firat bpe 'ii'l • -„• Ij tUrt, rr which muy have become vuj'c <■) v'ne man to cavill for his place out ol L". ■ nsore places in tbe same xnaunci afe nvo or i> •=■ ii.en would CAviii for one place. ~\ HA-JES OP PAYMENT. 2. H«adinA3 worked by one man, Is 6d perp c r box ; l.y two men, Is 8d per box. 3. Levels to be paid the 5111 Mas heading*. 4 Batk levels, Is 0d per box for one ju.iu aud Is 7d for two. 5 Bords 12ft wide, Is 2d per box for -)tw rwan »nd Is 4d for two. One p«»ny extra per box to be paid for each 2fr, or p^rt of 2ft, reduction in width down to 6ft. 6. Pillars. — Splitting pillars to be paid (according tv width of split) thj same prices ai bord3 7. Pillara worked by lifts or strips providing paid lift-> or atrips are not less than 9ft wide, or taking pillars out bodily, to be paid vvrdmary bold rafes. 8. Drawing and saving props in piilai working to be paid by the heuc, but no diawiag to tako place after usual working hours. 9. Shift wages to be 10s. 10. Deficient plsoes to be paid rhifb wages, unless a satisfactory arrangement rsn be made for vvorktDg the same between the man working them and the manager. 11. Deficient places to m«-^n : Places c>'tt:ag fault-? ; aiiways and connections 6ft and under iv wiith ; st^nteas, whether driven bord width ov otherwise ; places driven al ngtide faults or in faulty coal ; places under 4ft fiiu in height ; places with stone in them ; extremely hard places ; and wet places. 12 Where boys are employed at the face, the difference to be Id per box above r ingle man prices. 13. Truckers' w^ges 8» per day. TIMBERINU. 14 Ordinary stts 2s. 1) Sets in headings Bft wide, 3s ; 10ft wide, 4s. 16. Sets in levels, 2s Gd ; and whote the roof has to ba bioken, 3s 6~\. Gr.NETIAT.I. 17. Boxes to be equ -illy distributed throughout the mine. IS. Coal to bo w<-ijshed or a more satisfactory ario'igftinent cstabli'-hed than that cxittiug. 10 Tools to bo sharpened free '-f coai. 20. Eveiy second Saturdsy to be n hslf helulay. 21 lloiu-j underground to be eight ptr day. 22. The prices for dips and stone ch-ivrs to be arranged between the manager and the Miners' Uniou. 23. Household coal as at present. The following letter to the cleric ot awvds from the president and pecreiaiy of the union was attached to the ouler of rß""ere:.Cs :-— "According io lesjlution of meeting held Januaiv 12, IS9B, we wibh to lsv an additional claim for the consideration of tha Conciliation BdAid. Thiee members of this union have been unlawfully di.inii-ised from their emploj'ment — viz., George Smith (president), Wm. Torrance (secretary), and Jimes Torrauce. AYe claim protection under Ihe act for the reinstatement and compensation for loss of woik of the above members." The Chniiman Eaid before proce;diug with the busines-i it would be as well to let the paities know that the chairman (Mr Sim) had been suddenly called away on urgent buisiaess to Christchurch. Ihe board very much regrettsd this, but, if the parties were willing, the board had agreed to hear the evidence and iho.a consult with Mr Sim on his return to Dunedin. Mr Smith und Mr M'lnto^h both signified their willingness to the course sugge&ted being followed. After some discussion as to the course of procedure, Mr Millar suggested that the parties might come to some agreement if tksy had a talk over matters. Mr Graham said that tha company did not wi=h to do anything unreasonable, and possibly a talk over matters would bricg about an agreement. Mr M'lntosh intimated that there weie nine of the demands with which he could quite agree at onca. The p-u ties then ngived to a conference, and the board adjourned for an hour. On the board resuming, the p^ities intimated that they had agreed as follows :—: — Clauses 1, 5, G, 14, 17, 18, 20, 21, and 23 were agreed to. Clause 2 was altered to read : Headings worked by two men, 1-= 61 per box or 4s 6d per ton. It was agreed that tho first part of clause 3 should read : Levels to be woiked by one man at Is 4d par box or 4s per ton. A suggestion that the remaining part of the clause should read as follows was not agreed to :—": — " Aud should two men be required to work levels, Is 5d."

Clauses 7, 8, 12, and 22 were struck out. Clauses 4, 9, 10, 11, 13, 15, 16, aad 19 remained fa di=pute.

The board went through the causes still in dispute -with the parties wi'h the view of beein* if they could come to some agreement with regard to them. No further progress was, however^ made towards a settlement, and at the suggestion of the Chairman it was agreed at 5 15 p.m. to adjourn till 11 o'clock on Monday morn ling.