Arbitration Court Award.

Taranaki Herald, Volume L, Issue 11977, 27 May 1902, Page 3

Arbitration Court Award.

♦ A N IMPORTANT PRINCIPLE TIPHELD. (Per Press Association.) TVieHmgton, CSwr 2a.- '**»&***: tration Court delivered to-d&y its Iward respecting, the Wellington Sow We* It fixed employees Sum at 53 for a week; employers to have the right to, require assistISts to comeback to work two Sours on one night a . month from January to November inclusive, and three nights per week for three Seeks before Christmas all over 5£ to be at fixed overtime scale employment to fee weekly without SSn for prescribed holidays. Tne Court decided that to classify assistants -would in a large number Af instances be. detrimental to both employers and employees ■; it had therefore provided wage (£2 ss) for assistants over 23 years generally, and the rate for those occupying positions of higher responsibility than general assistant must be left to the employers and the particular employee. The rate for employees of other ages was fixed as follows :— 15 to 16 years 10s per week, 16 to 17 15s, 17 to 18 20s, 18 to 19 255, 19 to 20 30s, 20 to 21 355, 21 to 22 40s, 22 to 23 425, carters employed as suck if 21 or over, £2 ss, and in driving two horses £2 10s, under 23 same rates as assistants. Any assistant required as part of his regular, duty to drive two horse vehicles to be paid a mm.- . imuin of £2 10s, whatever hisnige. The Court declined to limit the nxwriber of youths employed in a chop; but thought the scale of wages it laid down would- prevent abuses, Preference to Unionists was' granted as regards assistants over 18. The award says, as( to the, request that the Court should limit the number of youths to be employed in a grocer's shop, the Court knew of no reason which could justify it in so doing. It was the Court's duty to se© that avenues for suitable work were not closed to the youth of the colony. In practically every occupation the regulation of which had been submitted to the Court it had been asked to exclude youth beyond a limited proportion tb adults em/ployed ; that proposition was generally stated at either one youth to three adults employed cr one youth to four. Thoughtful working ?nen must recognise that if these t>oys were debarred from obtaining •suitable employment in trades from which there was no natural right . <or their exclusion a wrong was •done to those boys; and the difficulties surrounding the bringing up of a family were very much increased. The interests of the colony demanded that there must be no improper shutting out from legitimate •means of earning a livelihood- the youth of the colony and the Court -thought it was amply justified in the - interests of the working- classes them pelves in again emphasising this jjFiacjpJe.