ARBITRATION COURT.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXV, Issue 2236, 13 November 1907, Page 3

ARBITRATION COURT.

AREA FOR AWARDS DISCUSSED. COST OF LIVING AT NAPIER MENTIONED. Press Association. WELLINGTON, Nov. 12. The Arbitration Court to-day heard a dispute between employers and the Plasterers’ Union. Prior to proceeding with the dispute proper, some discussion took place on the area to which the Court’s award should apply. His Honor, Mr. Justice Sim, said "the present award extended for a radius of fifteen miles outside of Wellington. It seemed to him'at tlio present stage the Court could not make a new award with wider lines. Mr. Westbrooke, for the Union, wanted the award to apply over the whole industrial district, stating that in Napier the cost of living was as high as in Wellington. Mr. Brown remarked that it was even said by a man in Nelson that that was the dearest place in the colony. After further discussion the suggestion of His Honor to take a limited award with respect to Wellington at the present sitting and defer the country dispute to the next sitting of tho Court was agreed to by Mr. Westbrooke. Mr. Grenfell then addressed tho Court for the employers. They asked that provision be made for improvers, and that the term of apprenticeship be made seven years. With regard to wages they asked that payment be Is 7d per hour or one-fifth of a penny less than the present rate. The employers objected to preference to unionists. Aftr evidence bad been given for employers and workers His Honor intimated that the Court would give judgment at a later stage. Tho Gear Meat Company and" W. J. Helyor were granted exemption from the award on condition that not less than the award rates won 1(1 be paid for casual labor. An application for exemption by tho Carrara Ceiling Company, on the ground that the work done by the 'ompnny is not plasterers’ work, was held over for the present.