ARBITRATION COURT

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1288, 17 November 1911, Page 5

ARBITRATION COURT

(By Telegraph—Press Association.) Invercargill, November IS. The Arbitration Conrt had a busy day, and continued its sitting this evening. The Inspector of Awards asked for an interpretation of tho award governing the sawmilling industry. A man had been employed by the Southland Sawmilling Co. as assistant yardman until last January, when he was put on tailing-out at the brenkinff-np bench. The Department contended that while performing this work the man was doing work as tailer-out for which ho was entitled to 9s. a day, but had been paid only Bs. Mr. Pryo'r contended that tho man had not bemi employed as a tailer-out, but a3 assistant frenchman, for which he was entitled only to Bs. per day. After evidence, his Honour said that the inspector was not entitled to succeed. The onns had been on tho inspector to prove that tho work involved was tailer-out work, and this lie failed to do.

The Conciliation Council agreement in tho case the Bluff Wa-torside Workers v. the Union. Company and others was made an award, an objection by Mr. Pryor to have tho Harbour Board joined being upheld.

Awards were also made of the agreements in the ceses of the Slaughtermen's Union, Carpenters' and Joiners', and Bluff Shed Hands'.

In tho case of the General Labourers' , Union v. tho Borough Council and. others the wages clause in tho rnea's claim had not been agreed to, and the union appealed to the Court. Mr. Glass, in suppcrt of the claim, said that the average loss of time per year for various reasons was i 5 days for labourers, so that even if a man were paid Os. per day lie averaged only 6s. Cd. Incidentally he mentioned that the figures taken from tho Labour Department's Journal showed tho cost of 3G articles in Wellington to be .83 2-. lid. as against .K) 7s. jO.'.d. in Invercarfill Rents wevo also going up by leaps 'and bounds. Mr. Pryor asked tliat the Harbour Board he exempted, and that the award be based on that rnliiuj in Dimediu. Invercargill, ho said, was a comparatively cheap town to live in. The decision was reserved.

llic Court also reserved its decision in applications for awards by the bufldin" labourers, road contractors, and' local bodies labourers, drivers, and gas works' employees, tho points in dispute in all cases being increased wages. Iα the gas works case Mr. l'ryor objected to the lias Works union bcring incorporated with the general body of labourers, in viovr of tlio possible effects of a general strike.

The Rev. It. S. Gray, who has just returned from America, will deliver an address on "Maino and the Lirmor Traffic" at the Town Hall on Sundanight next J A development has occurred relating to the proposed appointment by the Oitv Council of a traffic superintendent to take charge, of tho running of the Wellington tramways. The council have called applications for the position, but now they have in hand also a petition signed bv practically every trumwayman in tho city, asking that the present management be allowed to continue unchanged. Tho petition stands referred to tho Tramways Committee.

Nearly a score of bombs were exploded in tho Italian quarters of Now York Citv during tho month of August. Tho ra]losion.s aro attributed to black-mailing operations by tho Black Hand Society. Tho frequency of theso explosions may pcssibly defeat (heir object, for neople may brconio as indifferent to tlwin ns Nmpolcon tbe First is said lo have bfen, os shown hi his merely remarking, when ii bomb burst under his carriage in the streets of I'aris; "Ha! we aro blown