SAWMILL WORKEBS

Southland Times, Issue 19654, 3 October 1922, Page 7

SAWMILL WORKEBS

MEETING OF UNION. At the quarterly meeting of the Southland Sawmill Workers’ Union, held in the Labour Hall on Saturday evening, the president, Mr T. Halpin, presided over a large attendance of members. A communication was received from the secretary of the N.Z.T.W. Federation enclosing communications from Mr Firkett, Engineer in Chief of the Public Works Department re administration of the Tramways Act and also from Mr Rowley, secretary of the Department of Labour, in reference to complaints made by the Federation, rc stricter administration of accommodation Act, and asked to be furnished with names of those sawmillers who were not complying with the Act. The communication was received and the secretary was instructed to supply the information required. The secretary stated that a member of the Union, Mr George Dryden, has lost his life through an accident at Ruahine sawmill.—A motion of condolence with the relatives was placed on record. • He also reported that several members from the Gatlins River district had met with accidents and asked for information re what compensation they were entitled to under the Workers’ Compensation Act for the loss of part of a < limb. The secretary was instructed to supply the information required. A communication was received from secretary of the Invercargill branch of the N.Z. Labour Party stating it had been decided to run Mr Farrant as Labour candidate at the forthcoming election. As a considerable amount of expense would be incurred he asked for financial assistance from the Timber workers.—The secretary was instructed to send an appeal to all delegates asking for assistance in this direction. A communication was received from Mr | J. B. Holm an secret ary of the Australian Tim- | ber Workers thanking the Union forcabl- { ing him the hours, wages and conditions of a the timber workers in Maoriland. He also asked for copy of all awards relating to same.—The communication was received and the secretary was instructed 9o supply , the information. Several members wrote inquiring on what basis the .55 per cent, was paid out to a *? worker when he met with an accident. The | secretary (T. O’Byrne) stated that every D case had to be taken on its merits but some companies paid compensation on the actual wages received by a worker, which Was not correct in accordance with the Compensation Act. The Act stated that, “workers must receive compensation on the average weekly earnings, but in calculating such average no account shall be taken of any period during such time the worker has been absent from work.” This meant that where a worker was paid so much per day or per week that broken time would not be taken into consideration, but you simply took one day’s wages and multiplied it by 6 or 5| whichever was a normal week’s work. Mr Justice Sim, late president of- the Arbitration Court, laid it down that the proper method of assessing compensation was to multiply wages for a day by the number of days in a normal week and to divide it by two. If under the amended act they multiplied by 55 and divided by 100 they would then find what they were entitled to. The secretary stated that broken time by reason of the mill not working, or through illness could not be taken into account and a worker must Ibe paid compensation practically on full time basis.—The secretary was instructed to inform members accordingly. | The Inspector of Factories wrote stating that he was making full investigations G mto complaints and that he was serving notices on the sawmill owners who were notcomplying with the Accommodation Act. Mr G. Martin, delegate Kaipipi Mill, wrote forwarding £3 10s members subscriptions and Lonniker Appeal Fund. The secretary stated that he had visited » Pukikeno mills, Colac, Tuatapere, Clifden, Otautau, Spar Bush, Hedgehope, and 17 mills in the Catlins District and 28 new members had been enrolled and £75 collected in members subscriptions making a total of £520 for the year. The sawmilling trade appeared to be in a fairly flourishing condition and practically the whole of the members were fully employed. The secretary reported that unfortunately quite a number of serious accidents had happened during the month. Three members had their fingers taken off, and orfe | member had his leg taken off. while one member had lost his life. There were also quite a number of minor accidents. It was reported that, the Steven’s Appeal Fund stood at £65 Ils 6d aad the Ixmniker Fund at £52 14s 7d.