PLUMBERS AWARD

Southland Times, Issue 22497, 6 December 1934, Page 9

PLUMBERS AWARD

CONCILIATION COUNCIL PROCEEDINGS. TECHNICALITY UPHELD. (Per United Press Association.) Auckland, December 5. Conciliation Council proceedings today between the N.Z. Federation of Master Plumbers’ Industrial Association of Employers and N.Z. Federated Plumbers and Gasfitters’ Industrial Union of Workers, terminated following an objection by J. Clark, secretary to the union, that an application by the employers for a Dominion award was technically incorrect. A group of 15 employers opposed the claims of the Employers’ Federation and submitted counter proposals, being cited as respondents with the employees. Mr E. W. F. Gohns, of Wanganui, acted as Conciliation Commissioner in the absence of Mr P. Hally, who had an engagement at Wellington. Claiming that the proceedings were not in order, Mr Clark read lengthy legal opinion regarding the citation and accompanying papers. “There are in the application several errors of a more or less technical nature, besides others of a more serious nature,” he said. The opinion stated that the resolutions passed in connection with the authorization to file a citation to secure a plumbers’ award covering all industrial districts did not comply with the stipulated requirements. The opinion quoted in detail where irregularities appeared to have occurred and stated that the proceedings could not be validated by any act of the Commissioner or Council. The Commissioner said that in view of Mr Clark’s claims he would examine the certificates and papers filed with the Clerk of Awards and the council adjourned. On resumption, the Commissioner announced that in view of the various legal questions involved, he could make no decision as to the validity of the proceedings and the matter would have to be referred to the Arbitration Court.

Applicant employers sought minimum wages for a plumber or gasfitter of 1/10 an hour and the other section of employers in counter proposals suggested 2/01. The union proposals were 4/6 an hour.