FURNITURE DISPUTE.

Gisborne Times, Volume IX, Issue 870, 21 April 1903, Page 3

FURNITURE DISPUTE.

Per Press Association. Auokinnq, last night. The Arbitration ( Jourt, before .Justice Cooper txnri Messrs JSruwn and obiter, h hearing the dispute in too fumkuio trade. Messrs ToJo and .Martin represented tiie Unionist?, and Mrs ki\s Cotti r and Campbell represented the enjpioyers. It was agreed to take all the cases together. Mr Toic, in of cuing, said tin; Arbitration Court fixed tiie nnnhnoni wag ' at J - Hi. Certain employers and tlie idirp.'oyers’ Union took a stand of determined hostility, notably the D.S.C. and Tun-on (Jarlick Company, and expedients v.eio resorted to do defeat ihe c flee 5 of the a-.vanl. A n'jinber of men were . u-pend.d os cause the employers would not pay Ls Hx.

Home of the men suspended were not in competent, and 10 ot the men suspended have since obtained fuli wages. They hud been docked out to coerce the Union to agreeing to lower the pay to c . npeu-nt men than was provided m lie; award, l’lie Umployers’ Association met and unanimously supported ibe ac-» <■ of the individual emoioyers in dismissing the mm. Mr Tolo s übmitted the action of the idmployers’ Union was dtdiberato enu contumacious, and had nuiidiod the awuaci. Tiie ease struck at the very root of the policy and being of the Arbitration Court. If tho action of the employers was uph<M it would bo e flute, and the whole ol the iegislation would have to be recast.

JTraneis Temp;ar, Secretary ol iuc binployers’ Association, in evidenc •, said iie had rio knowledge except hearsay ot individual action taken by the employers. He hoard something to the t iibct that employers objected to lii.'j minimum ol tbo award when tlio award was given, but not afterwards. The matter was taken up by tho Employers’ Union on March 0. There fiad boon no wealing since January 10. Tbo Employers’ Union unanimously resolved to upprovo of the action 01 its members’ suspen Jon of hands considered incompetent. Tiiu Employers' Union was not in correspondence with other Unions of New Zealand, but witness had circularised other Unions. He bad not asked financial support from any other j Union.

Later.—Mr Templar, continuing bis evideuco iri tho furniture trade dispute, said that his union was not in corrospondenco with other unions in Now Zealand and Australia, but witness had circularised other unions giving particulars, so as to ift'cp them posted in what was being done. Evidence given in regard to tlie conditions df employment, their competency, and suspension was given by several employees. Samuel Tyson, Secretary of tiie Furniture Workers' Union, also gave evidence as to interviews which lie had with Mr tinrlick, of Tonson, Garlick, and Co.