ARBITRATION COURT

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2462, 15 May 1915, Page 15

ARBITRATION COURT

(By Teleßrauh.—Press Association.) Dunedlrii May 14. The metal workers' dispute came before the Arbitration Court to-day. A partial agreement had been decided upon before the Conciliation Council, and the only claims in dispute we're those relating to the minimum rate of wages, boys' wages, overtime, and holiday rate of pay, and the duration of the award. Mr. Smith, for the imion, referred to the increased cost of commodities and the reduced purchasing power of. money. Tha union asked that the award be confined to one year. The reason was that during the year very serious inroads were made into the purchasing power of the wage the Court might fix, and a year was a sufficiently long time to bo shackled to a definite purchasing power, while the cost of living was rising. Evidence was given by employers against an increase of wages. The Court reserved its decision.

The bricklayers' dispute was ieard in tli© afternoon. Evidence had already b.een taken in Wellington and Christchurch, and the hearings in Duuedin and Auckland are precedent to consideration of ,a Dominion award. The workers ask for a 44-hour week and that journeymen receive 11'ofc less than Is. 9d. per hour with special provisions far certain work. Tho employers wish to adhero to the old award providing for Is. 6d. an hour for journeymen. In presenting the case for the union Mr. Houston said • there had been no' increase in wages for 15 years. The employers stated that the building trade was very slack in Diuiedin, and when the work now in hand was finished the outlook would not he bright. The'time they urged was inopportune for an increase in wages.