ARBITRATION COURT

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 142, 5 March 1918, Page 7

ARBITRATION COURT

SITTINGS IN WELLINGTON SEVERAL AWARDS GRANTED ;lp _ Wellington sittings of the Arbitration Court were commenced yesterday morning, under the presidency of Mr. justice Stringer. Associated with him were Mr. W. Scott (employers' assessor) and Mr. J. A. M'Cull'ough (W •ployees' assessor). : Disputes. . In. accordance with a full recommendation of the Conciliation Council, tiio Wellington timber yards and sawmill ■employees' dispute was ordered to be wade into an award. Mr. Grenfel), who appeared for tne [Employers' Association, intimated that .both parties' were also agreed that the Wellington Gas Company's employees' dispute should also be made into an a ward; The Court made an order adopting the recommendation of the Conciliation Council that-the award bo'granted. The Wellington Plasterers' Union's dispute, in which the definition of work is the only matter unsettled by the Conciliation Council, was set down for hearing to-day. Hearing in' the Wellington grocers' assistants' dispute (partial) was fixed for Wednesday morning. The AVellington united furniture trade workers' dispute, in whicli plete recommendation has. been filed by the Conciliation Council, was set down for Saturday morning. Applications to Add Parties. Application was made to add parties to the Wellington soft goods employees' award.

Mr. W. 'A. Grenfell appeared for the employers and Mr. A. W. Croskery for the employees. The parties which it was desired to bdd lived in country districts. It was contended by Mr. Croskery ithat the request to add parties was Quite a, reasonable one. The Wellington firms asked to be included in the award, but the country district firms, without advancing any good reason, refused to be added. The Wellington soft goods firms were being unfairlytreated at present in that they were bound to certain conditions that country firms were not bound to.

On behalf of the employers Mr. Grenifell read something in the nature of a petition from a number of Masterton firms affected by_the application, protesting against the employees' proposal. The petitioners stated that they were in business at the time the dispute was filed, but were not cited as parties to it, and therefore did not have an opportunity of coming bpfore the Conciliation Council. . Mr. Grenfell said that many other country employers were similarly affected. He therefore contended that the matter did riot come within • the jurisdiction of the Court. ' In stating that there was something in Mr. Grenfell's argument, His Honour said that the Court would be more impressed if some tangible grievance could be advanced by the employers neing.'added to the award. His Honour reserved decision pending a visit of the Court to Napier. Applications to add parties to the Wellington private hotels and restaurant workers' award was set down, for hearing on Monday, March 11, i>t 2 p.m., as was also an application to amend the award. Fixtures were made as follow with Tegard to compensation cases: — _ Cameron v. Gear, referred to Napier. Priestly v. Staples, Thursday. Ross v. N.Z. Refrigerating Co., Thursday. .• ■• • . '.- . Robert Morns v.. Union .Steam, bmn Co., Friday.