LABOUR.

Timaru Herald, Volume XIIC, Issue 13995, 2 September 1909, Page 6

LABOUR.

CONCILIATION COURT. THRESHING AGREEMENT.'

A sitting tlie Conciliation Court was held. At. AVauuato yesterday; The Commissioner (Sir Triggs) presided and Messrs M. Scannell, \V. Greig and AY . G; Campbell appeared for the South Canterbury Threshing Umon and Messrs J. Smith, Eddy and Cunningham appeared for the" Wrailuaie it orkers industrial Union. :1 no ''new agreement: was considered and. an agreement practically arrived at, the ot which are as follows: —■

. At the commencement ot tlie, season it is. optional rbetween employers- ami workers whether tlio season's threshing bo done, either by the hourly or: contract system. For employees ,wlio are engaged to work by the hour the rate of pay'shall not be lea* than lperhonr; where, on piecework the rates'for ordinary workers i» li!s per 10UU£ busheis, wheat or batjey, and 10s • for oatts. 'Hired baiimen, to be employed m <all cases, and to 'bo paid at ' the - Bama rate as fixed for orui naiyiwor*ers is optional to get -one: of -tliel bagmeiLto assist Btackman wiiea 'r^qmred.,■< The: season is to be completed-; as .started/ : by hour or piecework.' v >;:Menon piece-; work, .required for, shifting^mill;;shall be paid Is per hoyr for no payment for .setting the mill;fwhere employed 6y ' t|tf<riiour . they shall be paid continuouwyr , The food supply is to ibo on the co-operative system ; the employers *sltall» ; supply gallop, •cooking utehsfls" and' -coalA only -at - 'a charge of 15s per week, the cook; food other requirements to be supplier by the employees, galley and - cook to be ■ controlled -by tlie- employers.' A week's notice orj pay is to be given by an employer, tne ii.en aVe to .give one week's - notice- -<or. -forfeit one ; • week's wages, the pay to be a£ the previous wet-k*». rate oi-earmug/ Arcprescritative of -the men at euch_camp shall, with the driverl decide trivial dispute* outside the agreement. The. ordinary preference clause is adopted. Tallies are ito fe given to .tbe men's, representative when required; < The agreement applies to . all . threshing'- mills working in; .the South- -Canterbury- district. Drivers and; feeders-are exempt - from ■ the award. A copy of the' agreement is to he posted in thegialley of every camp. Others conditions remain 'as before. The term of.the award is two years.. ■ ■

ON THE MEND, . 1 .-. i. .. v Per Press Association. • ' WELLINGTON, Sept. 1. ] The unemployment difficulty is rapidly ba the mend, judging by the facts in possession of the -Hon. J. A. Millar (Minister of /Labour).. Mr Millar in- , formed , n. press reprfesentative to-day that work was getting much more plentiful. Reports received from the Labour Department branches -all- over the country indicated, that the labour marked was becoming normal again. "So the crisis is oyer," queried the pressman? "There-never was any. crisis?'; answered Mr Millar. The slight increase of unemployment, this winter was accentuated , by the. inducement to come to, town,' thus, concentrating the out of works at tw<t or three centres. Whatever little difficulty there was is disappearing and the outlook is favourable for a good spring. ;Men ai-p leaving the public works .all the time, because' they are able to find ; other employment. "■ -r.!