ARBITRATION COURT

Wanganui Herald, Volume LIII, Issue 160811, 19 November 1920, Page 5

ARBITRATION COURT

SITTING IN WANGANUI.

/ A sitting of the Arbitration Court was commenced In Wanganui this morning, his Honor, Mr Justice Stringer, and with Mr W. Scott for the employers, and Mr J. A. McCulloch for the employees, presiding GROCERS’ DISPUTE. The agreement in the Wanganui grocers’ dispute was presented fpr ratification. Mr Weekes appeared for the employers and Mr Geo, Miller for the employees. The Union’s lyepreaentative,' in making application for the ratification of the agreement, asked for some provision to keep alive the May bonus. The Inspector of Awards, Mr Miller said, had under consideration the non-payment by some of the employers of the May bonus. His Honor said that the agreement would not affect any previous bonus.

Mr Weekes said that he was surprised to hear that, as he understood that all had been paying the bonus. Referring to the Union’s application for the' 9/- bonus, Mr Weekes stated that the wages agreed upon included 5/- bonus plus the basic wa,ge, in anticipation of the Court’s decision. The wage and bonus here were about 3/- to 7/6 higher than In other centres. Mr Miller said he Intended at Wellington to lodge an objection to Mr Weekes’ claim. He contended that the bonus should he given plus the wages agreed to. There was no reason why the wages should be levelled up. His Honor said that seeing that the grocers had received 5/- in anticipation, it was a point which reQurfed consideration The Court endeavoured to standardise the wages in each trade as near as possible. The (gourt would take the points raised into consideration. RANGITIKBI DRIVERS’ AWARD. No objection was taken to the claim of the Union to add a number of employers to he parties to the award. NINE SHILLINGS BONUS, Twenty-one applications for the 9/- bonus recently recommended by the Court, were received and were referred to Wellington, where the whole position was to he again reviewed by the Court. In connection 1 with the Wellington District saddlers’ award, Mr Weekes said information had reached him to the effect that an agreement had been arrived at between the parties for a new award, the present one having just about expired. This agreement provided, so lie was informed, for a bonus of 10 A, dating hack to October 10th. this information was correct, the employers here desired to lodge an objection, as they had not been consulted.