SHEARERS’ WAGES

Southland Times, Issue 19655, 4 October 1922, Page 5

SHEARERS’ WAGES

ARBITRATION COURT AWARD (Per United Press Association.) CHRISTCHURCH. October 3. The award of the Arbitration Court for shearers has been filed. The Court has granted the claim of the employers for a general reduction in the rates of pay, nor has it granted the request of the workers for an. increase. The Court has proceeded on the flat rate principle for all classes of work. The award provides that the rate for shearing by hand shall not be less than £1 4s a 100, with rations. Shearing by machine shall not be less than £1 4s a 100, with rations, and iambs £1 4s. In cases where shearers find themselves in rations these rates shall be increased by 5s per 100. The rate for stud sheep shall be settled by agreement between employer and shearer. Th rate for shearing hogget rams shall be rate and a half, and for other rams double the ordinary rate. In a memorandum, Mr Justice Frazer says: “The principal matters referred to the Court were shearing rates and shed hands’ wages. Both employers and workers claimed that the average weekly tally adopted last year as the basis of our calculations was incorrect. The employers were of opinion that the number was an underestimate and the workers maintained that it was an overestimate. We are inclined to think the difference between the parties is to seme extent due to the varying of averages from district to district, but the evidence advanced is insufficient to, justify us in concluding that the number arrived at last year (450) does not represent the Dominion average with reasonable accuracy. We have adjusted the rates in accordance with the movement in the cost of living down to September, 1922, and have accordingly excluded the award from the operation of the next general order to be made by the Court under the provisions of the Industrial Conciliation and Arbitration Amendment Act. In other respects this award follows the lines of the last award with some alterations agreed on by the Conciliation Council at Christchurch «wd adopted by the parties. 1 ’