ARBITRATION COURT.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 6662, 7 December 1899, Page 3

ARBITRATION COURT.

The Court of Arbitration resumed its sittings at the Supreme Court at 10.30 a.m. to-day. In answer to Mr Kippenberger, the President said that no proceedings to enforce awards would be taken this week. THE PLUMBERS' AND GASFITTERS' TRADE. The hearing of the Plumbers* and Gasfitters' dispute was continued. Mr T. J. Watters applied to be dismissed from the dispute, as he was a rangemaker, and not a plumber. The Court decided to hear the evidence of the masters first. In addition to the representatives who had appeared previously, Mr J. Colville appeared for Messrs J. Perks and J. Greig. Mr J. Taylor opened the case for the masters. He said that they had never objected to pay competent workmen 10s a flay, but the Union contained only three licensed plumbers. They suffered'competition from men who employed no labour, and who worked all hours, arid could not afford to pay 10s a day to men who had never learned their trade. If the 8s a day was awarded to improvers, many of the latter would not find employment at all. The employers would like to pay each one of their men 10s a day, but they claimed the right of employing none but the best men. Mr Taylor called William Dixey. a certified plumber, who deposed that 'there was little trouble in learning 1 the plumbinp trade, provided a man liked to read up. and nractise. thought the men would be bett«- off if they all passed a qualifying examination. Joseph Venables, a licensed plumber, deposed that work was now being taken so cheap that in many cases it was impossible to make wages at the contract price. In the opinion of the witness, the employers, and not the Union, were the proper judges of competency. Huch Morrison, of the firm of Morrison and Bradford, master plumbers. ai)d one of the examiners of the Drainage Board plumbers' examination, said that tho work set for the candidates was easy,' and any yountr and diligent tradesman could easily pass if he chose. (Left sitting.)