WORK OF THE BLIND

Evening Post, Volume CXXVI, Issue 82, 4 October 1938, Page 13

WORK OF THE BLIND

EXEMPTION OPPOSED

WICKER WORKERS' TRADE

The exemption of the New Zealand Institute for the Blind from the provisions of the wicker-workers' award is to be opposed in Arbitration Court by both the workers and the employers. It was agreed in Conciliation Council today that as the institute was competing commercially with other manufacturers, it was not covered by the section of the Act providing exemption where there was not pecuniary gain. ' . A similar body, the New Zealand Missionary College, Longburn, also seagrass workers, notified the council that it did not intend to seek exemption. A formal objection to inclusion was made on behalf of the / institute by Mr. W. J. Mountjoy. He read a memorandum by Mr. Justice Frazer in 1926 in which the latter said that award conditions were not applicable to the institute. Mr. Mountjoy argued that there had been no material change since 1926. Mr. F. Cornwell, agent for the union, said an important principle l was involved. The institute had been included in the award made in 1937. The Arbitration Court had modified its views on exemptions considerably and in a memorandum to the musicians' award stated that the pecuniary j gain clause did not apply to a body ■ corporate, including charitable and philanthropic bodies. Mr. Mountjoy said that the institute was included in the award last year through their letter of objection to the Conciliation Commissioner at Christchurch being mislaid. The institute's further objection to inclusion !\ was to be heard by the Court at Auckland. < I Mr. T. Hyde (Christchurch), agent for the employers, stated that last year both sides were unanimously against the exclusion of the institute. The employers had not departed from that attitude: | The assessors for the employers were Messrs. A. W. Nisbet (Wellington), L. Stewart (Petone), C. H. Burson (Christchurch), G. W. Herrich (Dunedin), A. T. Thompson (Auckland), and J. B. Trudgeon (Christchurch), with Mr. T. Hyde (Christchurch) as agent. Mr. G. H. Greenway appeared for the New Zealand Mission College. The union assessors were Messrs. A. H. Dixon (Auckland), C. Sanders (Auckland), H. Johnson (Christchurch), F. D, Adams (Christchurch), A. Bachop (Dunedin), A. Glastonbury (Wellington), with Mr. F. Cornwell (Wellington) as advocate. | The award is to cover Auckland, Wellington, Canterbury, Otago, and Southland industrial districts. The union claimed a 40-hour five-! day week, with ten statutory holidays and a week's holiday annually. Wafes on the basis of 3s an hour were sought and £3 5s weekly was asked 1 for females employed at upholstering lor trimming perambulators. Double time was asked for Saturday and Sunday work. The employers offered 2s ssd an hour, with a wage of 15s in the first six months, rising to £3 5s in the tenth six months, and 2s 2£d an hour thereafter for youths under 21, and a wage of 15s in the first six months, rising to £2 3s in the eighth six months and to £2 6s thereafter for females. Good progress was made this morning, hours and minor clauSes being agreed to. '