Untitled

Gisborne Times, Volume IX, Issue 839, 13 March 1903, Page 4

Mr Rosser : What hours ? j Mr Cederwall: Fifty hours a week. j Mr Rosser: He is practically employed as a carpenter. j Mr Cederwall: We can do without the : two of them for that matter. His Honor : As far as I can see there is I no reason why you should be put on a different footing. Mr Cederwall: We object to come under the award. His Honor: We will take a note of your objection. Mr Rosser said that Messrs Kelson Bros, had erected cottages and employed carpenters. ■ Mr Dewing : I ask to have the firm I > represent exempted. We do repairing work ourselves, and also keep a shipwright who receives per week. His Honor: I do not see how the award can affect you if you are willing to * pay the ruling rate of wages. However, I 1 will note your objection. j Mr Stafford addressed the Court at length in regard to the various points that | had been raised. Referring to the Union j he said that the employers objected to twenty men ruling the hundred. Many of ! the conditions contained in the award the , employers were quite willing to agree to, 9 as it was only following out what had 1 been done. , Mr Skect asked that existing contracts ■ should be considered by the Bench in > making the award. '> Mr Mackrell referred at length to the * question of hours and preference to union ’’ men. His firm had twenty men working for them, only three of whom were in the union. s Mr Rosser : Are you sure? i, Mr Mackrell pointed out that ono man y received eleven shillings a day, others ten, and the majority nine shillings. He contended that the wages in Gisborne compared with any part of the colony. It was very hard having only three men who were in the union that they should give . preference to unionists. In summing up on behalf of the Union Mr Rosser quoted the following paragraph from our contemporary : “ Hitherto Gisborne has been happily free from labor disputes and has been troubled by neither the Conciliation Board nor Arbitration j Court.” He thought that after what they had heard in the Court that day that the expression of opinion given by the union witnesses would be voiced by both papers I published in Gisborne. Quoting from the i same paragraph he continued : “ The i. industrial peace of the community has - been disturbed at last, local builders having been cited to appear before the Court.” Commenting upon this Mr 3 Rosser contended that the above paragraph had not beon borno out, as the evidence conclusively showed that there was a need for the Court. One of the employers had stated that they had gob on very happily in the past, and they did not - ask the Court to como here at all. He (Mr Rosser) could assure them that it was * very seldom that the employers ever asked , the Court to do anything, and it was usually left to the Union to talco the initiative. He complimented all parties upon the good feeling that had existed throughout the proceedings. The principal points were wages and preference to unionists, and he would deal with each in i- turn. He considered that higher wages were needed in Gisborne, and the place was well able to pay them.” Continuing, Mr Rosser said, “It is true that I am a stranger in the place, but a stranger arriving and keeping his eyes open is in a better position to learn of its capabilities and to form an opinion of the place than some of the old residents who have grown up with it. I desire to trespass upon the forbearance of the Court in pointing out some of the peculiar features of this particular dispute. Evidcnco has been adduced which goes to show that the demand for higher wages is justified in Gisborne. Gisborne has been laboring under many drawbacks—as far back as 1868 the drawback was the barbarous Poverty Bay massacre, which militated strongly against the advancement of the district, and even to-day, as tho membors of the Court are aware, there is tho barbarous method of landing in a basket to contond with. (Laughter.) But notwithstanding Gisborne rises superior to them all; she has not the natural advantages of a wharf or quay where ocean-going steamers can discharge and load their cargoes, but notwithstanding this fact her exports for the size of the town are enormous, and there is no place in the colony that can be compared to them. I am assured by Mr Common, of the firm of Messrs Common, Shelton and Co., that June of 1908, will see an export of fifteen million pounds of mutton exported for the previous twelve months—an increase of four and a-half million on the previous year. The potentialities of Gisborne trade in the near future were difficult to estimate. The butter industry was showing good headway, This week we had three ocean liners loading at Gisborne. These are immense steamers, and carry away large oargoes. I have been shown that meat is dear here, and workers have to ! pay a high price for what is produced in the district. The farmers get the benefit, and I do not begrudge them it, but I think that some benefit should fall on the carpenters. The rate ot wages paid in Wanganui was Is 34d per hour, in Wellington, the central port of distribution, Is 4d, and Gisborne was well able to pay that price. In fact, it wa3 better able to pay it than Auckland and Wellington. Passing on Mr Rosser dealt with the question of “ mutual agreement,” as suggested by one witness, and that j of the Saturday half-holiday. He was glad that His Honor had expressed the opinion that it was desirable 3 the Saturday half-holiday should bo observed by tradesmen throughout the colony. He (Mr Rosser) held that a halfholiday was necessary as a preparation for the Sabbath and as a means of affording a workman some recreation apart from the Sunday. Referring to what constituted a week’s work, Mr Rosser stated that the Auckland builders had reduced the hours to 44 and raised the wages so that the men received the same per week. Ho contended that the freezing companies should be included in the award, as they were competing against the buildors. They asked for a minimum wage, and experience had shown that this really bo came the maximum. All they desired was a fair rate to a competent man. Mr Rosser scathingly denounced the system of paying the workmen by cheque which had grown up in this town. Payment by cheque often caused a man to leave most of his earnings in the hotel. They should not place a man under an obligation to a draper or grocer after banking hours. Mr Rosser, in concluding an able address, said “ I have taken a run into your back country, and in the limited time at my disposal I have seen a fine level stretch of country that would make a Wellington man turn gteen with envy, and cause even an Auckland citizen to , covet the rich quality of the soil and wish t it were nearer home. The conditions of the place fully justifies the demands of the workers being acceded to.” A His Honor intimated that the award I would be delivered at 9.30 on Saturday j morning. j The Court then adjourned, J