BROKEN HILL AWARD

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 455, 13 March 1909, Page 5

BROKEN HILL AWARD

» . HIGHER WAGES. BUT NO GUARANTEE OF WORK. PROPRIETARY MINE'S LIMITED LIKE. ' (HI TEI.K(MUI'II-|'IIBSS ASSdCIATICIN-rol'VlllGlir.) (Rec. March 12, 9.10 p.m.) . Melbourne, March 12. Mr. Justice Higgins (President of the j Federal Arbitration Court), arbitrator in the Broken Hill dispute, occupied two hours in delivering his award. Great interest was shown, and the Court was crowded. Basing his award on the deduction that the cost of living is £2 4s. sd. on the Barrier, ' and £2 2s. 6Jd. at Port Pirie, Mr. Justice Higgins fixed iho minimum wage for unskilled labour at the Barrier at Bs. 7}d., and at Port Piiio Bs. 3d., and the minimum wago for miners at both places at 10s. a day for a 48-hours' week. Tho award, which i lasts, till 1910, leaves the contract system ■ at present in operation untouched. Tho award upholds the men's' claims for i increased wages, but rna.kes no order as to the ■ mining companies continuing operations. , Mr. Justice Higgins said lie fully recognised tho terrible nature of tho catastrophe that would bo caused if tho Proprietary Company stopped working, and recognised to the full his responsibility in the matter; but, according to the genera] manager, tho company had not moro than two years and a half of full work before it. If the catastrophe did not happen to-day, it was bound to happen 1 very soon. Business men and miners at the Barrier express satisfaction with tho award, but there is some fear among tho men that the big mine will not resume operations.