ARBITRATION COURT.

Wanganui Chronicle, Issue 12856, 23 October 1912, Page 7

ARBITRATION COURT.

THE DRIVERS' AWARD

(Per Press Association.) WELLINGTON, Ot. 22

The award of the Court of Arbitration in the drivers' dispute has been filed. A memorandum to the award states that it was proposed by the Drivers' Federation to apply for a Dominion award under the Act of 1911, but owing to defective legislation on the subject, this was found to be impossible. Applications for local awards were macle thereforo in Auckland, Gisborne, Wellington, Wanganui, Napier, Christchurch and Dunedin, and they were heard as one dispute in- Wellington on the 17th and 18th September. They were treated as being in substance, though not in form, applications'for a Dominion award. Awards for Wellington, Wanganui and Napier have been filed in Wellington. The principal changes made by the new awards in existing conditions are: (1) Attendance to horses has been limited to 8 hours per week. There is no .dojubt (states the memorandum) that in the >past some employers have made improper use of the right to require a driver to attend to horses without any limit as to time, and some restriction -on the subject is necessary; (2) time occupied by :J ii. driver in going; from and returning to stable is to count as part «of/ : . his working hours; (3) wages of drivers have been ■ increased : in. the City of .Welling-' ton the increase is Is per* week" (£2 &s single horse, £2 12s two horses), and in Auckland, Christchurch and.-Dune-din (it is 4s per week; (4) rates for casual drivers have been increased, and are now in Wellington Is lsd and 1 l-3d per hour single horse; drivers, and others respectively: "It ; was .. impossible to consider individual applications for exemption," and. a, general clause has been introduced giving the Court pow?r to exempt any employers who have not been bound by awards previiously made in connection with-drivers, and who aro engaged in any business not previously brought under the operation of such award."

On Sundays, Christmas Day, and Good Friday casual dr/ivers .sh.aU ibe paid 2s 6d per hour. Wages for youths are fixed at: 18 to 19 years, £1 ss; 19 to 20, £1 10s; 20 to 21, £1 ?os; the proportion is one to one,, arid niter that one to each four additional drivers. .'Bakers are to be allowed to «mploy youths under. 18 years at 12s (kl per week and found, or £1 unfound; others, 18 to 19 years, 15sor £1 2s 6d; 19 to 20, 18s or £1 8s; 20. fo 21, £1 or £1 305., tho proportion to* h©.one to one, .and one more for each three ad-, ditional drivers, provided that siny employer who cannot find a fully paid driver may employ one youth.

HOTEL AND BOARDING HOUSE EMPLOYEES.

THE JUDGE SPEAKS OUT.

(Per Press Awxv.ation.) ROTOR UA, Oct. 22.!?, , The Arbitration Court to-day hc'afd the demand by the local branch of the Auckland Hotel and Boarding House Employees' Union, tho principal effect of which was for shorter hours and increased nay.

Judge Sim commented on the fact that the demands were double-bar relied. He said it was ridiculous for the union to make wild proposals for en-tin-Iy altering the award in less than two years of the Court fixing the expiring award. When would tho unions exercise common-sense in approaching Vu> Court, imcl formulate reasonable demands?

Evidence for the union was chiefly on tho question of allowing a half-holr-The Judge stated that th.- wi+ne^e-, vr-rmwl to be proving breaches oF awards for which the proprietors should have bet-:; prosecute-! n, t':e S M ( 'O'Mt.

T<or the omnloye.-.;. j r lvn<J :}, n , VII t]nt _ allo-.vins for the .additonal labour ner-es-s.tatfd by shnrter hours, the half holifHv, and the- nltern;«ttve Ssindav o(F Mio erantsng of the demands 'would nn-::h-e n_n O xtra expenditure-of £W2

+ i "Vl r +l V for ihe "»■""- admitted t^'L the demands were mad o higher than x.'Tey cxnrr-trd to obtain, as before Hie Conciliation Commissioner it wnv of fen necessary to compromise. Mr 55-ott : That is reducing the whole i-img io a farce.