ARBITRATION COURT

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume XLVIII, Issue 12362, 30 November 1904, Page 2

ARBITRATION COURT

The Arbitration Court resumed yesterday morning at 10.50. PAINTERS' UNION.

Application, was made by the Painters' ■Unnon to -have the rate of wages fixed at .Is: 3d. pe-i* hour. Mr. E. Tingey objected to the rate .being fixed at Is. M. He stated that he paid tho efficient men in his employ Is. 3d. per hour, and the others Is. 2d. If the rata were fixed at Is. 3d. the more ■efficient men would demand a higher rate.

Jameu Ma.\lman, a master painter, -also gava evidence. The Court reserved its dec'a:<on.

BREACH OF THE SADDLERS

AWARD

This was an application for the enforcement of the saddlers' award upon. W. L. Young. . The case, as outline by tho. Inspector of Factories, was that a young man named Graham had been engaged since 1901 at less than the award rate cf wages. Considerable argument ensued as to -whether the case should bo adjourned. Mr. Treadwel, who appeared for Mr. Young, said that Mr. Coliiinra, who was a partner in Uhe firm and -could g^ve material evidence, was abssnt in Sydney, and would not return to the coJony till January next. It would therefore be unfair to proceed with the cas9 at pre-

Mr. MeQuarijers, Inspector of Faobori&s, isa,d that if the case were adjourned, Ma witness (Graham) would go away, as liia .had been threatened wibh dismissal, and he (the Inspector) woiil-d be unable ■to .proceed .with, the c&a&e. The Court ©ven-tuaMy decided to take Crraham'e evidence aaad tili>&n adjourn the case. Ibwas intlimated that tho- case would be heard when the Ooiu-ib resumed .after lunch

Mio Court then adjourned. On ■resuming the evidence of John Graham, in t!he ca.se aga.in.3t Young and Collins, was taken. . Witness stated that he had been a harness maker for ■■eight years, having worked for his unc'ie at Pa*ea, for employers at Eltlham and Midhurst, and for Messrs. Young and Collins. Worked with. Ms undo for four years, and reoeived 255. a week and his keep. A_i!l Ms ©nip'loyers had bean satisfied with his work. He joined Young and Coilins m .February, 1902, and received 255. a week, this was increased at half-yearly periods until he was now receiving £2 a week. He was not aware until, some five or six months ago that this was under the award wage. He learned t(h is .as the result of the Inspector's visit to the shop. He was then asked by lr.s lemp'iOyers to sign a document stating that he had beien at t!h© trade only 6£ years, that he was not a competent hand, and that ho was satisfied with the wages he vrasa receiving. This he refuse -ed to srgn, as he had be&n longer at the trade and considered himself a competent hand. He 'had worked alongside men getting full wages who could not do as .good work as in© could. Witnesa .said he was asked to sign another document a week ago. Mr. Young said that <df witnesa would sign this document he would receive £2 ss. a week for three or four months and then would be paid £Z Bs. •Crass-examined by 'Mr. Treadwell: It was nob a fa-cib that he could only do sewing when ha entered Young and Cooilius' •employ. He at that time was 19 years old. His uncle's shop was closed for certain periods during the year. Coachtrimming formed 'a considerable portion ©f his uncleV work. It was not a fact ifclhat. he could only do stitching when ihe came to Young and Collins; toe was not a raw ihand. He had learned portions of his trade from the firm. He could nob now make a cart saddle; on.y one man had a cihaoice to do thaib kind of work. Ho could name two. men who worked alongs-ido him and wer© paid full wages, though they could nob do better work. He did not know if they were* /dismissed after a week's) work. He haa frequently expressed dissatisfaction with., tlhe maoiner in which h& was paid. He ihad sp.oken 'to Mr. Collins on the matter. He did not know when he went to Young and Opllins' tJiat a journeyman's wages were '£2 Ba._ per w^ek. It was ixdt a fact that on Saiturday last he had expressed himself as satisfied with his wages. He had not oomplaiaied to ihis. omployers that his increases in sadary wai^e nob sufficient. He thought Mr. 'F&rry was a first-claiss tradesman. Would itake no notice of the fact if Mr. Ferry .s^id • witness had never been worth more ■than he got. Was not aware that Young .and Collins had tried to get a. permit for him from the Saddlers' Union. Had.qiot been playing a double-shuffle by lotting Ms employsrs think he was satisfied and -at the.same time inducing the Inspector of Factories to proceed against the ftrm. ' -;

The Court then held a short consul tia--bion, after ivhich the President an.iiouno&d that no back pay would be all-lowed Graham. Mr. Treadw&Tl could therefore decide whether or not to have tthn cassj adjourned.

Mr. Troadwell «a:d that in view of 'ijhe Court's intimat'on, he would simply -call Mr. Young to explain the position h:» had taken up.

"■ W.L. Young sbated that-his reason $ar not paying the lad tho award ra.ta of -wages was hardly explainable. Heoould -at any time have .got a permit for Graham. In Ju!y last Mr/'MoQuartora vis.ited the thdp and told . witness • that he should have ; procured a permit. Witness la.fcor on wrote to tho Union on the subj ?ct. The Union then asked for information as to Graham's qua'vncation.-?, -which information witness forwarded. 'The permit was prepared in. accordance ■■with the Union'a inat.ructiions, bab GraJfiam refused to sign Jt. Graham was r.ever worth moiie tlian the wages he -i'eceived. Graham liad fiiequ-sntly expresiied. gratification at tho manner in Which he had been 'treated, and eatisf a,ct;iion with tb9 wages he 'had received. When Graham first came to. witness's he could do lJtitle more than sewing. There . had be&n no difficulty in procuring permits from the Union.

To Mr. MoQuarbers: There had been rtroubf.te on two or threo occasionsl be■«t\veen witness, tho Union, and Vhe Lab■oin 1 Department.

Tho President said tie Court looked this aa a somewhat serious breach of tlio industrial agreement. H© would point on*- Lha#very shorfcly after sr'gnivr^ i-.].t - •.^.•voment the firm book Graham L_._. i.h^ir sarvi-oe, and from the first iiaglected their duty.' Tho Court" ac--capted Mr. Young's atrsuranoe tha.t ho tdkl riot wish to make a sordid ga':ri out of t<ho young fellow, but Mr. Young must have known his responsibility. The 'li'&pessity for getting a . p&nmit was brought under their notice isome n'oie •monlvia ago, when a permrjb for anotlher man was gob. Then each eocasLon on "which they had raised the man's wages should have been a reminder. v Sine© July last the position !had been aggravated. They were aware of the position, jyefc took no notice till October. If the ■Coiynb allowed. tjiis sorb o/ thing to go an it would set a bad example to other fa'ades'inem. It was a very serious kind -of thoughtle.ssness, and gavo rise to a •case which could only be recognised a« a ho would not say a sordid1 — ibraach. Mr. Young had shown such -carelessness that i?ke Court considered a ipanalty of some severity shou'id foe inilictcd. A fine of £10 was imposed.