ARBITRATION COURT.

Otago Witness, Issue 3100, 13 August 1913, Page 57

ARBITRATION COURT.

WELLINGTON, August 8

During the hearing of the saddlers’ dispute before the Arbitration Court to-day, in which both parties were willing to accept the recommendations of the Conciliation Council, Mr Justice Sim said that in the preference clause the court would have to insert provision for an open door, otherwise the union might seek to make a close corporation of the organisation. Mr Scott sai l that the clause in the recommendations appeared to make for compulsory unionism. His Honor : There is" nothing compulsory. If a worker does not join the union he may be brought before the court and lined, and there’s an end to it. Tlie representatives of the parties said that the question of preference was really left to the court. Decision was reserved. August, 9. The Arbitration Court to-day refused the application of the Wellington Slaughtermen's Union for an award covering the Wellington district. The new unions had obtained or were obtaining industrial agreements with all employers, and the court would not interfere. In the case of the Inspector of Awards v. the Wellington Woollen Company, the court decided that under the Federated Tailoresses’ award deduction could not be made from apprentices’ wages lor time lost while tlie factory was closed for cleaning and repairing machinery at Christmas.