ARBITRATION COURT.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 518, 27 May 1909, Page 2

ARBITRATION COURT.

THE BOOT INDUSTRY. ''.'.'•" BETTER' CONDITIONS ASKED FOE. Hearing of tho dispute between this New Zealand Federated Bootmakers' Union and the .Now Zealand' Federation of Employers was continued before tho Arbitration Court yesterday morning. '';..'-. ..-".. , Mr. Justice Sim presided, and tbero wore with him ■on 'the. Bench, Mr.. S. Brown (em-, ployors' representative), and Mr. J. A. M'Cullough (workers' representative),. The union representatives' before'-the- Court were:—Messrs, , A. >H. Cooper (Wellington), G. R. Whitiriff (Christchurch), and P. Logan (Dunedin); and the employers' interests were upheld by Messrs. ' J. A. Frostick (Christchurch), T'. Hodgson (Auckland), and AV. M'Kinlcy (Dunedin). Associated with these latter, there were. Messrs. ■ G. A. Colo's (Coles and C 0.,. Ltd.,' Auckland), ,\V. Murray (Murray and Co.,- Auckland).' F. O'Brien (M.- O'Brien and Co., Christchurch), J;' Kingsland, sen., and J. Kingsland, jun; (Kingsland and Sons, Invercargill), James Hannah (E. Hannah and Co., Wellington), and W." Brun- ■'. skill (Staples and Co., Wellington).;:. ; ,- WORKERS GIVE EVIDENCE.' ... , Tho first witness, David Kennedy Pritchard, employed, in Mr.. M. . O'Brien's - factory in Christchurch, stated that.ho was in the making ■ departpient. Ho considered .that tho workera .' wore justified in asking for on increase in wage . from Is." 3d. to. Is. 4d. per. hour, Irecausojof , tho high cost; of living, and because tho profits ' of.the industry could easily, stand ik.'.;Ho:'was '■ earning ,£3 per . week, and had been in tho trade .for eight years. .'■' When working, on ■'■ piecework some years ago, ho had earned, upwards of JJ3, but had found that if a man earned much over that sum ho was givon a' half-holiday. In one factory it was. whito slavery, and in another tho job was easy enough. :• : '. ; ; • , . Frank O'Brien,', manager of O'Brien's boot factory, Christchurch, said that tho man working the edge and heel-trimming machines earned £3 a week. 1 His average .weekly, output was about 1200.'pairs., ■■-,', ■" Alfred Paine, a, finisher working' tho heel, and edge parers at' Sargood, Son, and Ewon's, Dunedin, said that ho was earning .£3:ss.!'aweek.- When working tho edge-paror alone hereceived £2 125., Od. ■ The- two. machines' used ' ,to cost in labour— wages of two. men—.£s ,7s. . Od. n week, but now they only cost his Vages— .£3 ss. If he were to bo paid; on merit, h« ■would get atleast £i. -'- ;:;'v- v - ~:,.. ; ',' Joshua King, !of STKinlayy and ' Sons, Dunedin, said that he was in the machine, finishing - department. Under the old piecework system he had earned per week from £3 10s. to £3 15s. ;110 was now drawing £3 per. week, working, the ,' edge-setter and picking-up machine. : When first put on this machine ho 'received £2 105;... He became prqfioicnt in the working of the ma-' chino in threo months., He would bo most willing to go back to piecework. , Douglas Midgley' stated' that he had' been a machinist in the making department of a ■• ' Christchurch factory for., four years, and his presont pay was £2 '.15sV a week. ' During his ' four years' apprenticeship; ho had learned, to, work nil 'tho machines in the department. ,'; Arthur; Blowers istatedjthat ho had been in'" New Zealand for about' 15'-. months,' and was. earning .£3 2s. fid. a'week'.'-' Ho hod found that" in New Zealand the'bootmakers put through' about double 1 the quantity mad? in English factories. ■.;" .'.."■:'.-':. ',',.'■::',' .': ; .- ■'.-.■■'"■'•S . Barton,/of Auckland,, stated that ho was a clicker .at. present out of employ- ' ment. At Coles nud.Co.'s, Auckland, ho:had"', recoived' £2. 7s. Od. a week.'. He- was' secretary : of tho Auckland,Union,'which .had a member. : ship 0f ! 312 males andlOS 'females, i ■ -,;■:-;;-,"- 'Evidence via also giren by Goorgo M'Donald (Dunedin),-James Cox (Kingsland arid Co.'S, Invercargill)," Charles : Shand , (Kingsland ani Co.'s, Invercargill), and Augusta Wilson (Christchurch).'- ' '.- ; ;•■ .;■ .'.-.'■. -.'. ■'.'-''. ' ■ , . :: ' : .-.WOMEN EMPLOYEES.;,;-.''.' ■'"';.-,' ! ,' • Mrs.. Kato Boshcr stated' that' 6he ; had corns from Leicester to a-.pbsit.ion'as machinist in Christchurch-at' .£l'. IBs.- a week..-'. She 'Was ■ paid ISs. a week at Home, and now received SOs.-'. • " " ■'■ ■ ;:' ',','■ V ' Susan' Gunn,' machinist, of the Excelsior ' Boot Company, said that, her salary ; was' 325. ' Gd.'; Sho had.served an apprenticeship of four - years :with.'Sydney Smith: and Sons, .Christchurch, and knew of numerous coses of'women refusing to join the i union for the 6ako bt . , saving. 3d...per week; ■ .', ';■''',' .'./'■■'.■■■■'. ':' Ncllio Osborne, of Coles and; Co.,(Auckland,, stated that she had.been engaged in the trade , for.BJ years, and; how; .as machinist, was' receiving 255. | per week.- ■"• •.'.■;.>"'' '. '- ■'.;'. 'Ethel Barrett, machinist- at Murray' and ■ Co. J Bj'. Auckland, said that her, wago'rwas', 185., i.', and she..was employed on first-class machinery. ; ' ■'~ THE OTHER SltfE. ' ''•' .'■'■ >' Mr. Frostick, in stating the case for the, em- • .plovers, said that If, it was only* a matter ; of answering the evidence that had been tenderedhe would/leave tho 'casd in tho'hands of. the . Court without further remark. However, this reference; affected : one, of the- larjcst - industries . of, the Doniinion, and that! warranted him. in remarking on/ the effects that .would result if the demands oft the union or anything like ,them wore-; conceded by tho Court,- This", was, the ninth'- or' tenth timohe had, appeared be- V fore the Arbitration Court or tho Conciliation Court to. discuss. tho same questions, listen to ; tho same arguments, and offer.the same facts.'-; He admitted that it might happen occasionally, ih'an industry such as this-that a. decision ,; of the .Court. was - found' necessary on such matters as hours and wages. ■ However, this continual tinkering with the conditions of ; labour had a serious effect upon the rjossibio ■ future of the industry, and was prejudicial to - the interests of, both employers and workmen. -: They had no grievance against tho Bootmakers' .Union; whoso co-operation with tho employers . had put the boot industry in.apposition it.had'.'" not occupied beforo that organisation .came into' existence.. ■'The. trade iii those days had,; been thoroughly;'demoralised, and : the 'boot-' maker'was-on' the lowest rung of the industrial. ladder; Now, he'was. prepared to challenge anyone to say that the condition of the' work-.''-, shops was not 'altogether different to, their state a few years ago;- ln-1891 it was seen to.bo .-'■ necessary that the. trade'.should, bo';, put on a. sound footing, and delegates; met in ■ \Velliiigton hud drew up ! ;a set-of conditions acceptable to ■ both parties. . There- had been reference, to tho Court on several occasions, and tho presenli award was not altogether what, tho employers desired. Ho could say that there were greater restrictions placed upon.tho em-; ployer in the boot trado in New Zealand than ■ in any. other country in the .world. It was - fortunate thatthey had an impartial'tribunal tpiivbich to make; representations, for ho could say and prove 1 that the boot industry in New, Zealandwas hauging in .the balance. If the Court 'upheld''the demands: of the union- it.: would practically mean" .annihilation of' the.',' business. Ho had'been specially asked by hia federation to bring up the matter of preference.Ho hoped that'the Court, in order to comply with tho demorid now made, would not upset . tho judgment given' on.■ tjvo 'previous occasions.. ■Practically the-.whole of: tho men and women , in tho industry >ero unionists. Ho proposod ■ to call evidence to.?show, that the employers - were not' in tho 'position ;to pay tho.wages ' demanded. .Every member-'of ' his federation, disliked; tlib permit 6ystem,. and; looked upon it os a. degrading thing for an adult to ask- v permission to work at a reduced wage.' Tho trade in "Australia was bettor than 'in tho Dominion, .whoro: tho protection, was not so ; high. ThoWagcs now asked were 33 per cent, higher than woro provided :in ; the present, award. . ■-~... - - , .'. His Honour recommended , a further conforenco of the parties, and advised thatiMr. Hally should bb asked to Ijo present, as ho hod had a. good deal of personal expofiihee with tho boot trade. However, ho deemed it prudent to conclude the hearing first, in order that tho workers might havo before them the evidence of tho employers. •""■'•'',- '''■': .. Tho Court; was adjourned until 10.30, this' \ morning.,, .-';'.!.'■','