FLAXMILLING IN THE MANAWATU

Dominion, Volume 14, Issue 229, 22 June 1921, Page 3

FLAXMILLING IN THE MANAWATU

WORK TO BE RESUMED

AGREEMENT BETWEEN MILLERS AND EMPLOYEES

From Our Own Correspondent.

For some time past all the mills in the Manawatu district haye been closed down, resulting in a large number of meg being out of work, and with the high freights and low prices ruling for the staple products at Home, there was but little inducement for millers to again start operations if they had to pay the rates of wages ruling last season. A conference was held between the flaxmillcrs and the Flnxmill AVorkero’ Union, with the result that the men have seen that it was to their interest to be reasonable, and an agreement has been arrived at which is considered to be satisfactory to both parties. The details of the agreement are as follow: — Day work, 14s. per day; feeders, 15s. per day; stripper-keepers, 2s. Gd. per day extra; horse drivers, 44 2s. per week, automatic scutchers, 16s. per ton, two presses, 17s. per ton, one press; hand scutchers, Jfis. per ton power press, 395. per ton hand press; paddocking, with carting, 325. summer rate. Sis. winter rate; paddecking without carting, 235. summer rate,' 265. winter rate; compufsory stacking, 2s. Gd. per ton of fibre to be added to paddocking rate; paddocking, day work, 14s. per day; flax-cutting, minimum rate 7s. 6d. per ton; tramming, 3d. per ton reduction on last year’s rate'.

The -.rate to be charged for hoard to be 24.5.'per week, provided that if any employer, contract cook, lessee, or licensee of the cookhouse shall charge, or attempt to charge more than 245. per week, the matter shall be referred to the union, which, hnvin'g regard to the conditions prevailing at the mill in ques. lion, shall adjust the matter between the owner of the mill and the employees interested on any basis satisfactory to the parties, and ponding or failing such adjustment, no contract cook, etc., to charge any sum greater than 245. per w ec <.

The agreement to date from June 24, 1921, and to bo terminated by either side'on ilieir giving thirty days' notice of their intention to <lo so, anil a conference o' both parties shall be called immediately to deal with any issue involved .

It is expected that the etlecl of this agreement will be That most of the mills in this district will commence opera-tions-almost immediately, and this will give employment to a large number of men who nre nt present depending upon casual employment. It is estimated that the usual number of strippers at work Tn t*ie Manawatu Is about thirty-two, and that wages paid out for each amount to about 4100 per week, and with these again in' operation the unemployed situation should Be considerably relieved. The latest news from the Home markets is that hemp Is meeting a better demand, and should a further improvement take place it wil-1 mean that the industry will be carried on with more vigour than has been the case for some time. So far as freights are concerned, the recent reduction announced is'more than counter-balanced at the present time by the coal strike in England, and tho shipping strikes in America have disorganised trade generally.