ARBITRATION COURT

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2542, 17 August 1915, Page 9

ARBITRATION COURT

ENGINEER'S AWARD TWO CLAUSES SUSPENDED The Arbitration Court resumed its sitTr 1 * i 1? yesterday morning. Honour Air. Justice Stringer preAr'r nwere Mr. J. A. i ir enl .ploy<^ , s representative, ftud Jlr. U. Duthie, employers' represents- , _ Tho judgment of tho Court was given in respect to tho employers' application for an amendment of tho Engineers' Award. His Honour 6aid that m the memorandum to the award made in June last the Court pointed out that tho engineering trades throughout the Dominion had been proved to be in a languishwudition, due largely to competition with imported goods; and the Court had not felt justified in increasing the existing minimum of Is. Id. per hour. It was now contended by tho employers that although wages had not been increased other changes had been made which had greatly increased the cost of production l , and had brought about the very conditions the Court sought to avoid. The employers asked for an opportunity to stato their case for an amendment to the award. The three points to be considered were:—(l) Had the Court power of jurisdiction to deal with, the matter? (2) By the express terms of th© award the Court oould consider the question of amending the award. (8) Should the Court give the employers the opportunity to state their case? The Court held that there should be no alteration with regard to piecework. With regard to the stock catalogue and apprentices' clauses, the Court came to the conolusion that they should give the employers on opportunity to bring forward evidenoo to showthat some , error had been made. As to the' Boilermakers' Award and the Metal Workers' Award the Court could see no ground why there should be any reconsideration. Tho Court gave three months to the employers to. collect the necessary evidence, : one month's notice to be given to the union, the parties to hold a conference, and endeavour to arrive at a settlement. .... The effect of the Court's decision is that the awards in the boilermaking trade and in the metal works' trade will come into force as from July 19, and the Engineers' Awards will also operate •as from that date, but not as regards tho two olauses which have been suspended. . COUNTRY HOTEL WORKERS. The- Arbitration Court has given its award in. regard to workers in public hotels in the Wellington._ country districts. The award is similar to that given for tho Napier district. The term of operaton of the'award is from August 1 for a period of three years. It embraces the TVairarapa, Otaki,_ Manawatu, Rangitikei, Waimarino, Waipawa, and Pahiatua licensing districts. CLAIM FOR COMPENSATION. Goorrge Logan, ironworker, of Kilbirnie, claimed compensation at the rate of 30s. per week from February 2, 1915, when ho met with an accident while in the cmploy of Messrs, Johns, Wallace, and Muil 1 , ironfounders, AVellington. Mr. T. W. Hislop appeared for the plaintiff, and Mr. A. A. S. Menteath for the defendants. Plaintiff set out that on-February 2, when carrying coke at tho works, he met with an accident and strained his heart. Ho had been incapacitated from work, and was permanently disabled. His claim was for 30s. per week (half his -fulbwages) ov in tho alternative such. lump, sum as tho Court might see. fit to award. A considerable amount'of medical evidence was taken, and -it came out that some years ago plaintiff suffered from an attack of rheumatic fever. _ Tho Court reserved •