XLI

U—ll

partners. (5.) That the proportion of assistants to journeymen receiving the aforesaid rates be not lees than one assistant (meaning thereby man or boy receiving less than lid. per hour) to one journeyman; that the proportion of improvers be at the rate of one to three journeymen ; improvers' rate of wagts to be anything between lid. and Is. 3d. per hour. (6.) That all wages be paid weekly or fortnightly. (7.) That plumbers working outside the city boundary be conveyed to and from the job, or be paid travelling-fare thereto and therefrom, and ordinary wages for time taken in going to such job; employers to pay all fares to and from a country job, and board while working there. (8.) Employers to provide men with soldering-bolts, ironpipe-fitting tools, metal-pots, plumbing-irons, mandrels, and files. (9.) All things being equal, preference of employment to be given to union men. (10.) That an industrial agreement be drawn up and signed by all the parties to this dispute within eleven days from the 19th July, 1898, to last for two years from that date, failing which the Chairman, on the suggestion of either party, or at his own discretion, to file a report that the Board has failed to conciliate. The Chairman observed that, with the exception of one clause —the proportion of improvers— the committee composed of the union's and the employers' delegates had framed its own award. Mr. Ballinger, employer, speaking to the clause, wanted the Board to define " a journeyman." The Chairman replied that this was for the employers themselves to define. The Board had attempted to leave an opening for that class of men who were not fully competent as workers. Both masters and men agreed to the recommendations, the former with a view to giving it a trial, it being understood that the special committee mentioned therein —-such committee comprising two employers and two journeymen—should have power to vary the award if it proved to be unworkable. Christchurch. Engineering Dispute (before the Court of Arbitration). —The recommendations of the Conciliation Board are quoted in last year's report (see page xxvi.), but they were not agreed to. The award of the Court, which will remain in force for two years from the Ist May, 1898, fixes forty-eight hours as a week's work, work to start at 7.45 a.m. and to continue until 5 p m., with half an hour's adjournment for lunch between 12 noon and 12.30 p.m., and on Saturdays from 7.45 a.m. until noon. Provision is made that in the case of an agreement between employers and their workmen other hours may be arranged, but in no case shall a workman be required to work more than eight hours and three-quarters on any one day. Rates of wages to be that agreed upon between employer and employed. Overtime is allowed, but before such overtime can begin (with the exception only of sickness) the workman must have completed his week of forty-eight hours. Overtime worked in repairing machinery or appliances used in carrying out the business of the employer to be paid for at ordinary rates of work. Overtime worked in the manufacture of agricultural machinery sold at catalogue prices is also to be paid for at ordinary rates. A special clause is, however, added which enacts that all overtime worked on Sundays, Christmas Day, and Good Friday shall be paid for at double the ordinary rates ; and, subject to the foregoing provisions, all overtime worked out of the ordinary hours of work, and also all time worked upon New Year's Day, Easter Monday, the birthdays of the reigning Sovereign and of the Heir Apparent, Labour Day, Anniversary Day, and Boxing Day, shall be paid for at ordinary rates with an addition of 50 per cent. Night-shifts carry 2s. extra per night in addition to ordinary wages, but unless three consecutive night-shifts are worked ordinary overtime rates are to be paid. Only one shift of the ordinary hours can be reckoned as a day-shift in each twenty-four hours. All time occupied by workmen in going to or returning from outside work to be paid for at the ordinary rate of wages, irrespective of distance. All travelling and other expenses in connection with out-work to be paid by the employer ; board and residence to be also provided in cases where workmen cannot return to their homes on the same night. On all marine work Is. per day dirt-money is to be paid to each workman. There is to be no restriction on the number of apprentices, or any discrimination as against unionists on the part of employers, neither must an employer directly or indirectly do anything to injure the union or any person by reason of his being a member thereof. Unionists and non-unionists to work together in harmony, and to receive equal pay for equal work. The word "workman" to include journeymen fitters, turners, brass-finishers, coppersmiths, millwrights, milling-machinemen, blacksmiths, patternmakers, borers, planers, Blotters, and other machinemen, and no other classes of workmen. The award is to be binding upon the union and every member thereof, and upon the following employers : Messrs. Allison and Smaill, Anderson and Son (Christchurch and Lyttelton), Andrews and Beaven, Booth, McDonald and Co., Mr. Childs (Lyttelton), Mr. Dalley (Lyttelton), Messrs. J. and T. Danks, P. and D. Duncan, H. Hepburn and Sons, Johnston and Sons, Lucas Brothers, Mr. N. Jowett, Mr. McLaren (St. Asaph Street), Messrs. Morton, Aschman, and Co., Mr. Queeree (Lyttelton), Messrs. Eeid and Gray, Scott Brothers, Tomline and Co., Topliss Brothers, and the Crown Ironworks Company. The award, so far as the men who are employed at daily wages to do work ordinarily done in engineering shops, is also to apply to the Canterbury Frozen Meat Company (Limited), the Christchurch Drainage Board, the Christchurch Meat-freezing Company (Limited), the Christchurch Tram Company (Limited), the Kaiapoi Woollen Company (Limited), and Messrs. Nelson Brothers (Limited), but is not to bind these companies in respect, of men paid otherwise than by daily wages. The following statement, signed by Mr. Justice Edwards, President of the Court, was attached to the award :— The importance of the matters involved in this industrial dispute is so great, and the principles involved in it are so definite, that I think it is desirable that 1 should state the reasons which have led me to concur in the award made by the Gourc. The " dispute," so called, arises out of the refusal of the employers to adopt certain rules, which the union have sought to impose upon them, with reference to the conduct of their business. There has been no dispute between the employers or any of them and the workmen employed by them. This does not prevent the matter from coming within the jurisdiction of the Court, but it makes it of some importance to ascertain how far the union is really representative of the great body of men employed ia the trades affeoted. The employers sought to be affected are of three classes—first, engineers and ironfounders, properly so called, such as the firms of Messrs. Anderson and Son and Messrs. J. and L. Scott; second, manufacturers of agricultural implements and machinery, such as Messrs. P. and D. Duncan, Messrs. Booth, Macdonald, and Co., and Messrs 3—H. 11.