WICKER-WORKERS’ AWARD.

Taranaki Daily News, 9 October 1926, Page 13

WICKER-WORKERS’ AWARD.

BLIND INSTITUTE'S POSITION. By TVlegrapli.—Press Association. Auckland, Last Night The decision of the Arbitration Court in the matter of an application by the Wickerworkers’ Union to have the Jubilee Institute for the Blind joined as a party to the award was delivered by Mr. Justice Frazer. He said it appeared that the institute trained its inmates in wickerworking and so gave then; an opportunity of becoming self-supporting when they left. For various reasons, a number of the inmates were not able to earn their own living even when they had learned a trade and they remained in -the institute. There was no suggestion that the inmates were overworked, that the conditions were onerous, or that they were underpaid. Further, their earnings were supplemented hy a Government' pension of 17s 6d per week and by a grant of 25 per cent, of their earnings up to a certain limit. Au increase of wages beyond that limit, would have the effect of reducing the Government pension and of reducing the Government pension and the funds of the institution.

A further point was that the conditions fixed by the award would not be reasonably applicable to such an institution. On the other hand the present application arose from complaints of undercutting prices. It was not right that n publicly-supported institution should compete unfairly with private enterprise, but the director intimated that he was willing to discuss prices with representatives of the trade. That would seem to be a proper solution of the question.