ARBITRATION COURT

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 251, 17 July 1919, Page 8

ARBITRATION COURT

WELLINGTON TAILORS APPLICATION TO AMEND AWARDTho Court of Arbitration yesterday afternoon hoard an application by the tailors of tlio Wellington industrial district i'nr 1111 amendment of their award. Mr. Justice Wringer presided, and with him m assessors were -Mr. W. Scott (tor the cniolovorsl. and Mr. J. M'Cullough (for the ciunlovees). The union asked that the minimum weekly wage be increased irony, «t3 53. In £i , r >s.. the rate for piece-workers from la. Id. to Is. 4d. per hour, and the I overtime rate from JJd. to 9d. per hour. Mr. Keardon said that on a former occasion the employers had "bluffed the Court." who, granting a certain concession l:n them on 'account of their allegation that the trado was practically on its last lees. Itis information was that in no part of New Zealand had the emulovers taken advantage of the concession. The trade had never been in a better nosition than it was in to-day. His Honour: Certainly they have never charged so much for a, suit before. I'm- overv extra shilling of wages the emulovers had been compelled to pay under the last award, said Mr. Reardou, the public had since paid =El. It was ante to sav that suits that were selling for .id 10s. when the award camo into onoration were now Belling for i'J. The sum of £3. 10s. was not a high average estimate of the increase in the price of suits since the award was made. Mr. .lfeardnn submitted some contentions upon the effect of increased wages upon the cost of commodities. He argued that tiie payment of higher wages was not bv anv means the important factor in increasing the cost of living. Mr. (rrenfell resented Mr. Iteardon's statement that the employers had bluffed the Court. They had dono nothing of the sort. Conditions wero to-day abnormal, and the abnormality was largely due to the demand for suits from soldiers who were returning to civil life. Mr. Grenfell submitted a list of earnings of tailors, and inferred from the figures he ouotcd that it was generally possible for tailors to earn about .£5 9s. per week. He. considered it unreasonable of the union to come to tho Court and ask for higher rates of payment when it was alreadv onen to the worker to earn a coffiwirativelv high wage. ' Decision was reserved.