ARBITRATION COURT.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXV, Issue 2044, 22 November 1907, Page 2

ARBITRATION COURT.

SITTING AT NAPIER

Press Association.

NAPIER, Nov. 21. At the Arbitration Court to-day fines of £1 wore inflicted in two cases of breaches of tho coachbuilders’ award.

An application to have the AA’cllington award of August Ist, 1907, applied to 77 employers in the Hawke’s Bay district was withdrawn by consont, a new dispute to be filed for the noxt sitting of tho Court.

An application by the Napier Wharf Laborers’ Union for alterations of the existing award was heard. The Union asked for increases in tho rate of pay of from 10 to 20 per cent, with preference to Unionists when they are available and capable of doing the work. Evidence was given that the cost of living and house rent had increased, and several workers stated that their earnings averaged but little over £2 per week. For the employers it was stated that although in some instances tho rate of wages was higher before the award than under it, yet since tho award camo into force owing to the increase of trade the men had earned more money. The present system of payment at Che port had been in operation for many years, and it was contended that to meet some of the demands of the men would be ruinous to employers. The Court rose until to-morrow.

UNNECESSARY ALTERATION OF AWARDS.

A JUDGE CANNOT UNDERSTAND

NAPIER, Nov. 21. At the Arbitration Court this morning Mr. Justice Sim spoke of the alterations that were attempted to be made in awards .by labor Unions simply for the sake of making alterations. He said he could not understand why Unions should always be wanting to alter awards when the employers were ready to give them what they wanted. When they had nothing else to find fault with in an award, the Unions appeared to want to alter the drafting in order to say the same thing.