BARRIER MINING DISPUTE.

Otago Witness, Issue 2870, 17 March 1909, Page 26

BARRIER MINING DISPUTE.

JUDGE HIOGINS'S DECISION. MELBOURNE, March 12. Judge Higgins occupied two hours in the delivering of the arbitration" award in the Broken Hill dispute. Great interest was evoked, and the court was crowded. Basing his award on the deduction that the cost of living was £2 4s 5d a week on tlte Barrier and £2 2s 6£d at Port Pirie, Judge Higgins fixed the minimum wage for unskilled labour at the Barrier at 8s 7^d per day, and at Port Pirie at Ss 3d per day, and for miners at both places at 10s" per day for a 48 hours week. The award, which lasts till 1910, leaves the contract system, at present in operation untouched. The award upholds the claims for increased -wages, but makes no order as to mining companies' continuing operations. Judge Higgins said he fully recognised the- terrible nature of the catastrophe that would be caused if the Proprietary Company stopped working. He recognised to the full his responsibility in the matter, but, according to the general manager, the company had not more than two years and a-half of full work before it. If thp catastiophe did not happen to-day it was bound to happen very soon. Business men and miners at the Barrier express satisfaction with the award, but there is some fear among the men that the big mine will not resume operations. SYDNEY. March 13. The He'-ald thinks that, having regard to the strenuous nature of the work at Broken Hill, few people will be inclined to cavil at the award. The point of the difficulty, however, is whether it is a basis of remuneration which the company can accept and continue to work under without loss. Mr Justice Higgins, in his award, stated that he strongly held the view that, unless the circumstances were very exceptional, the needy employer i nder the award must pay at the same rate as his rich rival, otherwise it would be impossible to pre-

vent sweating and t-He growth of parasitid enterprises or the spread of industrial unTest. The Proprietary Company will consider! the award next week. March 14. The men employed at the Broken Hill • Junction North mine struck as a protest' ; against working with a non-unionist. The combined unions issued a notice* ■warning the men not to return to work{ in the Proprietary and Block Ten mines j until the proprietary announces what itj intends doing. i A meeting of the directors of the BlocW . Ten mine discussed Mr Justice Higgins'sf i awards, and decided to resume -work aa soon as practicable.