ARBITRATION COURT.

Press, Volume XLIX, Issue 14829, 21 November 1913, Page 3

ARBITRATION COURT.

SITIINGS CONCLUDED. Tho Cimstchurch sittings of tbo Arbitration Court wore continued yesterday, his Honour Mr Justice Sim presiding, with him Mr W. Scott (employers' assessor) and Mr J. A. McCullough (Unions' assessor). ! GENERAL. LABOURERS' DISPUTE. Tho adjourned hearing of the General Labourers' dispute was continued, Mt E. J. Howard "appearing for the Union, Mr Cooper for the quarry-owners and grain merchants, Mr R. C. Bishop tor the Gas Company, and Mr Maynhard for tho builders. Mr OooDor stated that as far as the quarry-owners were concerned, they were "not agreeable to tho increase of id an hour, making the wages Is 2d per hour. He askotl that the dispute should be referred back again to the Conciliation Council. It had been stated that tho Auckland Award gavo Is 2d per hour, but that did not give a fair statement of the position.

Mr Howard: We aro "agreeable to take the conditions of tho Auckland award.

Mr Maynhard stated that his association were surprised, after an .amicable arrangement had been arrived at, that tho general labourers were asking for another id an hour. The only notification ho had of tbis was throngh tbe newspapers. If there was to be this alteration, he,thought the Court should revise the whole thing.

Mr Howard urged that caution should be exercised, and nothing should be done in the way of striking the whole thing out. At the present moment with industrial unrest occupying thie town, the Union's officials had all they cotild do to keep the men in hand, bo • oaii&e there was a growing feeling that the men might get rewarded for creating trouble. If the award was not settled , there was the possibility of plunging the country into trouble; ho wished to utter no threats, but he was merely stating the position. There was being offered now a. reward to men to ™ rne , u "<*er the Court's jurisdiction. I he feeW tfeat {be men weTO not beinc lairly treated-in this matter. Hβ *fc *!?** thp y were Prepaid *<> wP^Sj ,l * dis aWlities of the Auck-»a*-the best way to Three hundred men BiOTtSTf his Union in nhw m :? h cou a i n d d ?i«rL"k2; to make hornS w a *i. CWl,d m^ aS ? Mftmm S'" , XpTV " Zealand of their own homes Zf n °" ab ° to form of-W an hour ' -ni was 3 ust a . n£e a "'• lUe employers knew

that the assessors had not accepted la-lid willingly. The Commissioner had twice taken tho men into his room, and met them face to face, saying that the" Court could not give more, but they would get a rise right away. The Builders' Association, he must SAy, had been paying • that wage for the last three years,, bufc the contractors had stuck to tho Is an hour, a wage on which the men could not livo. One contractor had recently signed a tramway contract, and had come into their office and told them that he had signed the contract so that he would be exempt from the new award. In con- - elusion, he claimed that the men were not breaking the spirit of their agreement ; they wero asking for the wage other men had been given. His Honour said the Court would grant the Iβ 2d per hour, but the question of classification would be considered > later.

Mr A. Boyle made a brief statement on behalf of the grain ajid wool merchants. They were- agreeable to** giving the men Is 2d per hour, but on tho conditions that other employers in competition with them in the Dominion came into line. They had always been on the best of terras with their men, and thie was tho first they had heard of these new demands. , It was finally agreed that Is 2d should be paid, the award to be for a period of three Tears. Mr Boyle: Now that we have given this rise, there should be a guarantee against strikes. His Honour: I am afraid it's impossible to give such a guarantee, Mr Boyle. Mr Howard: I would like to ha able to do so, your Honour. LIVERY STABLE EMPLOYEES. In thecaso Canterbury Motor-car, Horse Drivers', and Livery Stables' Employees Union v. Hayward and Co. and others, Mr H. Hunter represented the Union, and Mr W. Hayward the employers. Mr Hunter stated that tho Union wero asking for a 48 hour week, a minimum wage of £2 10s, and overtime at the rato of Is 3d per hour. Mr Hayward made a lengthy statement of the conditions of the industry. He referred to the bankruptcy o? "a local business, which had onco he-d a good connexion, and ea ; d tho industry was nearly dead. Tho employ ere could not grant the increases required. After hearing evidence, his Honour said the Court- would consider the question. The sittings wore) then adjourned.