LAW REPORTS

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2451, 3 May 1915, Page 9

LAW REPORTS

COURT OF ARBITRATION COOKS & STEWARDS THE CASE CONCLUDED. Before lie Court of Arbitration on Saturday the Cooks' and Stewards' dispute was continued, and Charles H. Parker, chief steward of the Moeraki, was oalled to give evidence as to tho hours of work of stewards. Cross-examined witness said that the delayal of the dinner from 6 p.m. till 6.30 p.m. made the day half an hour longer for all hands. This cosed the case for the shipping company. Mr. C. W. Smith addressed the Court and said that if any comparison of wages was made it should be with the seamen and not shoreworkers. Ho referred to the fact that a comparison had been made by the union with the rate paid on the Par cific coast, but he pointed out that that was acknowledged as a highly-paid service. The union were asking for something quite unknown in the service, except on the Pacific coast. He contended that the union had not come with a complete scheme, and the present was not the time to try' experiments or leaps in the dark. With regard to the hours they • urged that the chief stewards' discretion should not bo interfered with. The question of hours had not been abused in the past, and would not be in the future. The company would go into the matter carefully and thoroughly in conjunction with ■the union to see if they could Temedy any grievance. As to preference they opposed this. It might lead them into having to engage enemy subjects, and it was absolutely necessary that they should not be put: in that position. He put in, for the information of the Court, the Admiralty instructions with regard to "tho matter. They also asked that the San Francisco-Vancouver service should be put out. They asked for the award to be for three years, and if apy important alterations were made that the award should not be enforced at once, but delayed to allow them time to Btart.ofE fair with all their ships.

Mr. Carey, for the union, spoke against, the pernicious system of tipping, and said that passengers travelling on the Maori and Wahine, although they did not see a steward, knew that they had to give 'a tip. The union was attempting to put their workers on the same footing as other workers, and get their wages direct from the company, and not. from the publio. The union wanted to arrange .for the abolition of tipping, just as had been done on the railways. His Honour said that it would probably be -some little time _ before the Court could give decision.

BRICKLAYERS' DISPUTE. The Wellington Bricklayers' dispute was next .proceeded with, the union being represented by Mr. H. Hanton, secretary of tho Bricklayers' Union, and the employers by Mr. W. A. Grenfell. Application was made to have the following struck out:—Ballingar Bros., T. Ballinger and Co., Brisco© and Co., Dimock and Co., Hill and Sons, Jonkins and Mack, G. J. Johnston, plumber, J. Jackson, Seatoun, W. Murphy (deceased), Turnbull and Co., Gear Meat Co., Wellington Meat Export Co., Gas Co., Miramar Borough Council,' and Wellington Harbour Board. The Wellington Harbour Board was struok out. An objeotion was made in the other cases, but they were Btruck out, the union having pow>r to oite them later, and bring evidence to show that they were engaged in bricklaying. Mr. Hanton ijut the case for the union, the principal matter in dispute being wages. The present award rate is Is, 7d. per hour, and the rate asked for" its Is. 9d..per hour. Consideration of r the case continued till the Court rose for the day.