ARBITRATION COURT.

Press, Volume LIV, Issue 16168, 23 March 1918, Page 6

ARBITRATION COURT.

CHR ISTC HURCH SITTINGS. The Court of Arbitration resumed its sittings yesterday. Present: His Honour Mr Justice Stringer. Messrs \V. Scott, and J. A. McCullough. G R OCF.RS' A SSI ST A NTS. The recommendations of the Council of Conciliation in the grocers' assistants' dispute wire made into an award. CONTRACTORS' AND BUILDERS' LABOURERS. Mr K. J. Howaid applied for an additional war bonus ot 10 pel cent, under the General Labourers' award referring to builders' and contractors' labourers. Mr J. H. Maynard appeared tor Hie Bu> liters' and Contractors' Association. and Mr H. Broadhead for -He Christehurch Gas Co. Mr Howard addressed the Court, -ir.d strongly urged that the amount earned at present under the minimum rate plus the 10 per cent, war bonus already granted, totalling £*2 16s 6<i, was "not a living wage. He asserted that the builders and contractors ia a big way of business were, at present paving lis per day, whilst the employers in a smaller way were taking advantage ol the minimum rate. Mr "Maynard said the builders and contractors had a good deal of sympathy with the labourers, and had alwavs tried to meet and treat them fa Li ly. A good many of the members of the Association onl\ paid the awaid rate; it was the builders in a big «vay, who had the pick of the men available, men who were practically Permanent! v employed, that paid the higher rate. Experience showed thai it "oaid better to "pay permanent good workers IJs per day than to pay ca.suai workers the award rate. If the 1(1 per cent. iijw asked for were granted the lower paid men, tho higher paid mon would want their wages incroasod prooortionatelv. Mr Broadhead said that the ''as Company opposed any advance at the present time on grounds similar to those mentioned by Mr Maynard. The unions sought to take advantage of the fact that because some men were paid at a higher rate, all should receive the same rate. Jf the minimum were increased, then higher rates would have to be paid to the best men. Mi Howard -said he based his plea on behalf of the. union on the assertion that the wages paid did not constitute a living wage. His Honour said that the Court would take time to consider the matter. TIMT.ER AND COM. YARDS' ISHPLOYEI£S. Mr W. Goss applied that the recommendation of the Council of «Jontiliaiion in the timber and coal yards' employees' dispute be made an award of "the Court. When the matter was previously before the Court the union withdrew the dispute. Mr Goss said that nc did not know if his application was in ordei, but it seemed to him a pity, after U«e trouble gone to and in view of th? unanimous agreement arrived at before tho Council of Conciliation, that the work done should prove abortive. His Honour said he was afraid that the application was not in order. He agreed very much with Mr Goss's remarks, but in the matter of the present application the Court had no jurisdiction. It would be necessary for a fresh dispute to be initiated by the employers before the Council of Conciliation, aad they could submit the recommendation of the Council as their

demands. 3lr Goss that the Council having made tluj recommendation, he thought that iie could ask the Court to make it ail award. His Honour said that the application by the union in respcct of the recommends tioiu; .had been withdrawn, and consequently the whole proceeding-; fell to the ground. If an award woro made as now applied for, it would he without jurisdiction, and any party could challenge it. Mr Goss said he could not find hat anything of this sort had been done before. Mr Scott remarked that if the employers had put in counter-claims the ca.se could not have been, withdrawn. Mr G oss said ihe' employers were not ready for the unioirs action. His Honour: One does not anticipate that sort of thing. If this sort of filing becomes customary, the Act would require to be amended to make it impossible for cither party to withdraw a dispute, once it has reached the Court, without the. lesve of the Court. At piesent there was 110 such provision. Mr Goss: yite Court will understand the fceiings of the employer 3 and the reason for their application. Jlis Honour; Oh, yes. The application was dismissed. In connexion with this dispute, a special meeting of the union is to be held to-night to consider a motion to refer the dispute to the Council of Conciliation. The Court adjourned till 10.30 a."r>. on Monclav.