ARBITRATION COURT.

Timaru Herald, Volume XIIC, Issue 13847, 8 March 1909, Page 5

ARBITRATION COURT.

. .MINERS' CASES. Per Press Association. WESTPORT. iMiircli 6. Tlic Arbitration Court sat iiL Westpnrt to-day, ami dealt, with a mtnibcr oi':. cases. In McLean v. Union Steam Ship Co.. claim £4OO, as compensation on behalf of a son of Hubert Turubull, who died as the result of injuries by an accident on the s.s. Kakjmoa, evidence was given that deceased had before death expressed a wish that all lie possessed should go to his sister, who is in. poor circumstances in (ireeiioek, Scotland, and not to his son, .because he hud not giit on well with his wile, and his son, who was in his brother's charge, was well looked after. Counsel for deceased's soil was granted permission to have an examination by commission of deceased's brother and son in Scotland, and the case was adjourned for six months. , . . t .

In the application by the Denniston Coal Minors' Union for mi interpret,ation of their award, his Honour rilled that the proceedings were wholly irregular, tlie Union having cuUcellcd its registration, and proceedings Having heen brought b,v the Union instead of by the inspector, the case, was struck out.

In tlie ease Granit.v Miners' Union v. Wostporfc Coal Company, an appeal from a magistrate's -judgment iii a. ease brought to recover a- penalty for a. breach of the foal miners' award, tho Union contended that- firemen or drivers who had worked 365 shifts iii the year wore entitled under the award to six days' holiday oil full pay. it was shown-that the men, bv> arrangement amongst themselves, and without objection fro ill the, company, worked fi Iteen, fourteen and thirteen shifts in succession in one week, in order to get oiie Siuiday dfl', and no overtinib was paid. The Company took a literal interpretation of the award, that tVi" men must' work seven days per wick consecutively for the whole year. The Court ruled that the clause must be interpreted reasonably, and that liremen and engine drivers who in d worked 305 shifts, not necessarily on 365 consecutive days, came within tlie, operation of the clause, and the imp'il was allowed with costs £4 <ls and disbursements. ' .