THE PLUMBERS' DISPUTE.

Otago Witness, Issue 2317, 28 July 1898, Page 19

THE PLUMBERS' DISPUTE.

Wellington, July 19

The Conciliation Boird gave their award iv tbe tlumbing dispute on the eatae lines as the Echednle dra-wn up by the representatives of bath sides, except in regard to wsges, in which the award was that th* rale of pay be Is M per hour for competent workmen. Men who are considered to be unable to earn that wages " ehall ba paid such leEser sum (if any) as shall ba fixed by a committee consisting of two .persous nominated by the employers and two by the union, and if they cannot agree, then by tha chairman of the B;Rrd of Conciliation.

The Tinaaru Her&ld says : " The remarks of the chairman of the Cauterbury Farroeis' Association respecting the defalcations of a member of the staff, which he (the chairman) attributed to the defaulter having gambled st the totalisator, have drawn 'some remarks in leply from a shareholder. The l&t^er gjys there is r.o cvidrcce at all that the eulprih was a gambles but '(< is a fact that he was expected to handle honestly large sum 3of money, and to keep a wife and family on £2 10s a week, The critic saj« : — ' Does Mr C. Ensor want to know tbe origin of dishoneety ? He can find it by looking at his own balance *hef«fc. The wages paid to a staff of 136 ia £8728 143, of which £2000 was absorbed by three pergons, iefeviug £0728 14-4 to be divided between 133. The averago rate of pay per annum lo each man ia £50 10s 7£d, or 19s 6d per week. I aik Sir Charles Ensor can men live and be honest on such wages ?'" ■