WORK AND WAGES

Grey River Argus, 17 September 1937, Page 5

WORK AND WAGES

More Apprentices IBEING NOW TAKEN ON. FPer Press Association], WELLINGTON, September 16. “I am pleased to be able to say the reluctance on the part of the employers to engage apprentices, which was evident from 1931 onwards, is now being overcome to a great extent,” said the Acting-Minister of Labour (Mr Webb in an interview to-day.-“During the year ended March 31 last, there were 2328 contracts of annrentices registered, compared with 1291 for the previous year. The number of apprentices employed in skilled trades at the end of April was 5231. on increase of 1679 within twelve months. A more recent return indicates still further inprovement. For the 4- : months commencing April 1 last, 1618 contracts had been registered. or were being dealt with by the Department:, while under the Government’s special legislation passed last year, an additional 269 special contracts for youths, over 18 years of age. had either been registered, or are beinc dealt with covering the same period.”

Mr Webb added, however, that there was still a considerable shortage of apprentices in most skilled trades. There also been a marked increase in the employment of girls and i->ovs under sixteen years of are in fad cries, the increases for the 1936-37 ncr’nd over that of last year, being girls 60S, boys 864.

After referring to the increase in the number of factories, also in the number of workers employed therein, Mr Webb stated that no accurate record of the number of shops and shop assistants was available, but from the information available, the figures disclosed an increase of 955 shops and 7134 assistants. The Minister went on to comment on the increased number of organisations of employers and workers that applied for registration during the year.

SHEARS’ HOURS. WELLINGTON, September 16. A voluntary agreement regarding anomalous conditions in connection with the working hours of shearers and woolshed hands, has been made between the employers and the industrial union. The Acting-Minister of Labour IMr Webb) said he had received communications from both parties showing they were eager and willing to co-operate in assisting the industry to maintain seasonal operations without delay or difficulty. Thus, in order to remove an anonaly in respect to working hours, should lhe coming season be wet, causing loss of much time, the executives of the New Zealand Workers’ Union and the New Zealand Sheepowners’ Industrial Union of Employers, agreed to amend the clause of the shearers and shed hands award, covering hours of work. The amendment provides for an extension of shearing hours to 4 p.m. on Saturdays, in those cases where 44 hours have not been worked in any one week. Shed hands are to be paid pro rata for any time they are required to work after noon on Saturdays.

WORKERS AND RENT. WELLINGTON, September 16. Interesting information concerning the Fair Rents Act, also the collection of arrears of wages on behalf of workers, was given by the actingMinister of Labour (Mr. Webb), in an interview to-day. Mr. Webb gave the following summary, indicating the extent to which tenants had availed themselves of the services of the Labour Department, in connection with proceedings under the Act. The total number of applications received was 3,133. Agreements as to rent payable, approved by inspection, 832; cases taken to court and rent reduced, 146; rent justified, 146; tenants represented by the inspector in eviction proceedings, 145; other cases, 1902. Regarding under-paid workers, the total amount of wages collected, and disbursed to the workers by tlie Department, or paid directly to the workers, was £70,720. OWNERS’ DISPUTE. WELLINGTON,’ September 16. ( 'rhe Conciliation Council in th'e New Zealand passenger transport drivers’ dispute, failed to reach an agreement on the major issues of hours and wages, and they were referred to the Arbitration Court. r lne employers offered an increase in wages if the employees would agree to the retention of the present 8S hour fortnight, but the offer was not accepted.

Mechanised Coal Pits SIX-HOUR DAY. DEMAND IN N.S.W. NEWCASTLE, September 16. ; The Broken Hill Proprietary Comi pany has issued a statement, announci ing its refusal to consider claims for j a six-hour day in mechanical collieries, and describing the miners’ demands as “a repudiation in its very worst form” of the agreement reached last month between the coal-owners and the Miners’ Federation. The statement is of great importance, because the company controls three or four mines, where the men have threatened to strike, if to-day’s | convention of the Northern Miners’ | Lodge delegates endorses the proj posal to precipitate militant action to I secure a six-houi- day at mechanised I pits. BUILDING TRADE AGREEMENT. i WELLINGTON, September 15. ; The linal day of hearing the Dornin- . ion Carpenters’ and Joiners’ dispute I was completed to-day in Wellington I before Mr. M. J. Reardon, Conciliation I Commissioner. Complete agreement i was reached on a five-day week of 40 i hours, fixed hours to be worked each I day between 7.30 a.m. and 5 p.m. i Overtime and piecework rates, and j statutory holidays are the same as in I the 1936 award. The clause con- ! cerning annual leave was abandoned. I The employers’ offer of 2/9 an hour, . based on the recent pronouncement of the Arbitration Court, was agreed to by the workers, with an addition of Id an hour as an allowance for tools, in accordance with the prac- : ticc prevailing under earlier awards, i The additional payment applies to joiners as well as to carpenters. A special allowance of 3d an hour for men working in fertiliser and chemi-

cal works was accepted by the workers’ representatives. The provisions regarding wages will be retrospective to tne date of the Court’s pronouncement, September 8, the extra allowance for tools of Sd an hour will apply from September 15, and all other provisions agreed on in the award will become effective from the time oi the making of the award by the Court. The term of the award was fixed for one year, from September 15, 1937. • DENTAL INDUSTRY AWARDS EXTENDED. WELLINGTON, September 15. The extension of awards governing workers in the dental industry tp cover all technicians and female dental assistants employed in the industry was announced in a judgment of the Arbitration Court, given by Mr. Justice O’Regan. The order is to operate from September 20. A similar judgment was given in reply to a request from the Wellington Laundry Workers, Dyers,-and Dry Cleaners’ Union for the extension of their award to cover all workers engaged in the laundry industry. The order is to operate from September 20.