LAW REPORTS.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1553, 24 September 1912, Page 2

LAW REPORTS.

HOURS & WAGES.

(Before His Honour Mr. Justice Sim.) THE TYPOGRAPHICAL DISPUTE. HEARING FINISHED. Final stages in the hearin? of the typographical dispute were reached in the Arbitration Court yesterday. The Court comprised Mr. Justice Sim (president), Mr. 'William Seott (employers' representative), and Mr. J. A. M'Cullough (cra- • ployees' representative). As has beeu stated previously, the federated typographical unions are seeking a Dominion award. The following districts are concerned:—Wellington, Northern, Taranaki, Gisborne, Nelson, Marlborough, Wcstland, Canterbury, Otago, and Southland. Mr. J. W. F. M'Doiigall (Wellington) appeared for the hand .section of the workers, and Mr. .). Harris (Dunedin) lor the machine section of the workers. Mr. W. l'ryor, secretary of the Employers' Association, appeared for the employers, and associate!! with hnn were Messrs. George l-'cnwick tUuuedin), J. JL'lndoe (Dunodin), and N. M'Kobio (Waihi). I'nrttcula'rs of the demands of tho federate! unions, and of the counter proposals of" the employers, were published in last Friday's issue. When the Court resumed yesterday the hearing of evidence, for the employers was continued. Mr. Harris announced that the parties had come to an agreement as to tho en--I'iuad cast-up. ,He said that this agreement would bo handed in to the Court.

Ocorgi Fonwick, managing director of the "Otago Daily Times," continued his evidence. In cross-examination he admitted that on Saturday he had stated in evidence that the Auckland proprietors had been the first to grant linotypists an increase. He now stated in reply to Mr. Harris, that tho employees on certain Wellington newspapers had obtained the increase before Auckland. He added that these Wellington worker* had got the increase under peculiar circumstances, and that it was only through great pressure that the cthsr papers had followed suit.

Mr. Harris asked what witness had meant when he had stated that the Auckland proprietors had been "afraid."

The witness replied that ho liad - been told (in conversation witli an Auckland proprietor) that if they had not given the increase it was very doubtful what the result would have been. They had felt that they might lose operators. Witness, proceeding, said that he sawno reason why tho men should not work 48 hours per week. According to the 1911 Year Book tho exports of printing from New Zealand were: To United Kingdom, .43777; to Victoria, ,£295*; to New South Wales, .£2)40. The. New South Wales, Tasmnnian, and Victorian directories were Ei'intcd in New Zealand by the "Otago aily Times" Company; so, also, was the Australasian Trades Directory, but he always regarded the last-named as circulating in New Zealand.

Albert, lilanton, manager of tho Wellington Publishing Company, gave evidence to tho effect that when The Dominion had been started difficulty had been experienced in getting to press early enough with nino machines worked on time. Now the paper could Iks produced with seven machines, with the men on piecework. ■ Tho average output for June was 11,920 ens. per hour with fat. The fat averaged 1740 ens, leaving a net solid output of 10.1S0 ens. Tho men averaged 36 hours per week, on a net average weekly wage of £o Bs.

John M'lndoe, master printer, who represented tho Dunodin jobbing printers, said that what enabled the compositor to-day to turn out more attractive work was the general improvement in the typo at his disposal.

Representatives of country firms stated in evidence that it would be inflicting jhardship-on smnll establishments if they were not permitted,.tq, employ compositors at other work when'there was not sufficient setting tc keep them going. One witness stated, that in forty-three industries, throughout New Zealand, the. average wage for males was <£118, and that tho average for males in tho printing trado was,,£l32.

Mr. M'Daugall here remarked that the .federation d'nl not want, to embarass tho employers. The federation would agree to u man doing letterpress machinery and book-binding as well as compositor's work provided the man received the highest rate of pay ruling in the district. Mr. M'Dougnll said, also, that the federation would not insist that a man should be a member of a particular union, provided that he was a member of one union.

After Messrs. Pryor, M'Dougall, and Harris had addressed the Court, his Honour stated that the Court would consider the matter. .. "It will require a lot of consideration, I am afraid," he remarked.