DECISION RESERVED

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LXIII, Issue 19070, 18 July 1936, Page 7

DECISION RESERVED

ARBITRATION COURT STONE -M A SONS' HO (JRS (Ter Press Association.) WELLINGTON, last, night. Manufacturing monumental masons applied to the Court of Arbitration today for an extension of the hours of work to 44 a week. The. workers counterclainied for an amendment to the existing award to provide for a 40-hour week. The cases were heard by Mr. Justice Page, with him Mr. W. Cecil Prime, employers' representative, and Mr. A. L. Monteith, workers' representative. Appearing for the employers, Mr. W. E. Anderson, secretary of the Auckland Employers' Association, said the. plant required in the industry was very costly and a necessary amount of work had to be done in each week". Overseas competition was very severe, and if local wages wore increased, the disadvantage would be still greater. The only thing that kept retailers from importing was the fact that their requirements could be obtained locally at short notice. If prices were raised they would certainly importMr. J. Roberts, for the workers, pointed out that Sydney stone-masons had worked a 40-hour week for 29 years. With regard to importation, all stone imported was special, and would have to be imported in any case.. His Honour said the court would require time to consider the case. The court reserved its decision at the conclusion of the hearing of an application of the lime, manufacturers for an extension of the working hours to 44 a week in the six months of the busy season in the case of shell lime used for agricultural purposes, and to 44 hours a week for the whole year in the case of burnt lime used in the industry.