ARBITRATION COURT

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2868, 5 September 1916, Page 6

ARBITRATION COURT

TWO CASES. The dispute between the Wellington Meat Export Company and the Gear Moat Company with tho Ngahauranga Slaughtermen's Union was heard in the Arbitration Court yestorday. Mr. Justice Stringer presided, and the assessors on the bench were Messrs. ■\Y. Scott (employers) and J. A. M'Cullough (employees). Mr. Pryor appeared for the employers and Mr. M. J. Reardon for the union. The dispute mainly concerned wages. The slaughtermen claimed an increase from £1 7s. 6d. to £1 12s. 6d. The decision of the Court was re> served. The Inspector of Awards (Mr. G. H. Lightfoot) proceeded against Bing, Harris, and Co. to recover a penalty of £10 for a broach of the award in that on or about June 16 the firm employed two storemen in excess of tho hours usually worked in any other day in their establishment, and failed to pay overtime rates for such excess. Mr. Lightfoot said the facts in the case- were admitted. The case was brought largely as a matter of interpretation. It was contended for the prosecution that the firm in question was a 44-hour firm prior to" the date when the now award came into operation. On June 6 the hours worked wero 10J, and for the week they were 48. Taking the time-book of the firm for tiiree months prior to the. new award, the weekly average was 45 hours 3 minutes, and the daily average (excluding Saturdays) 8 hours 12 minutes. The regular time for starting was 8 a.m., and'the nominal time for stopping 5, p.m. Generally, however, the nominal time was exceeded by a few minutes. The Court dismissed the information.