ARBITRATION COURT

Hokitika Guardian, 19 June 1928, Page 1

ARBITRATION COURT

I' GREYMOUTH, June 19. A sitting of the Arbitration Court was held yesterday. Mr Justice Frazer presided with him being associated Messrs G. T. Booth (employers’ assessor). A. Ji. Montoith , (workers’ assessor) and J. Gilmour.. (Registrar). Messrs W. Cecil Prime (Secretary Canterbury Employers’ Assn), and G. .T. Thurston (Secretary Amalgamated Enginering and Allied Trades Industrial Union of Workers) were also present. COMPENSATION CLAIMS. Mrs C. Woolhouso (Mr Murdoch) V. G. A. Perry and G. G. Perry, claim for compensation £904. The defendants fixed particulars of

tiioir cierence agreeing to payment, ot £907 Is less a sum of £SO paid on account. Mr Murdoch stated no agreement had been made regarding costs. Judgment was entered for plaintiff ■for £BB4, plus £23 Is funeral ex-, penses, less £SO already paid, and £0 Gs solicitor’s fees. A. E. Bauin (Mr Murdoch) v. Dispatch Foundry Ltd. (Mr Hannan) claim for compensation. Mr Murdoch reported that he had received a statement from respondents agreeing to the amount of compensation claimed, less certain payments already made. No arrangements had been made regarding costs. Judgment was awarded to plaintiff, for the amount .paid into Court!, as agreed upon, £7 7s being allowed for costs. Application to add parties to the Hotel Employers’ Award was made by the Secretary of the Hotel Employers’ Union (Mr J. Goodall) and the name of Dargan’s hoarding house added to the list. Application to add parties to the

Hotel Award was made by the secretary of the Union (Mr J. Goodall), and the name of Mrs B. Sherlock, Kynncrsly Hotel, Mokihinui added. POWER BOARD WORKERS. The Westland Branch of the Amal-g-a mated Engineering and Allied Trades Industrial Union of Workers, and Grey Electric Power Board made application to extend the agreement to all employers in the Westland Industrial District. Mr Prime the employers) stated the Westland Power Board objected to the inclusion of their company in tlie agreement, as the present agreement was. made between two parties, was different to awards made in otherparts of New Zealand," and was made before the objectors came into being. Mr Thurston (for the * Union)," said that the existing award was arrived at without coming to the Court. If the

objection was upheld, it would then be necessary for the union to file an application to the Court for an award. The clauses in the existing award, which varied from those in agreements in force in other parts of tho Dominion, was that weather conditions were much severer on tho West Coast than elsewhere. Mr Prime said tho objectors took exception to clauses referring to country workers, rates of wages and travelling time, claiming that an equitable award would have to be. on similar lines to those in operation, and governing other Power Board employees. His Honour stated that in the Auckland award, provision was made for gangs camped out. He asked was such a clause in the West Coast agreement. Mr Langford replied that there were two power stations being built by bis Board, one at Dillmanstown and one at Duffer’s Creek. A great deal of the Company’s activities were industrial, rendering it necesary to do work, such as linking up sawmills, before and after the ordinary hours worked. He could see the organisation necessary, would lender working shifts the host method' of operation. The linesmen

had to pass no special test it was purely a matter of experience, the work of seeing the electric, fitting etc. properly done, being the responsibility of the inspectors in charge. He had found it desirable to employ electricians to do linesmen’s work. His Honour asked if lin'ework could ho done before 7.30 a.m. and 5 n.m.

no Clone ueiore i .o\j n.iu. ;uiu <j p.m. during the winter months. Mr Langford stated that a good'deal of work was carried out by the use of a spotlight, not actual linework. Decision was reserved. AN INJURED SHOULDER. , James Hamilton (Mr O’Regan) v. II.M. the King, claim for compensation £559 4s -Id of which £315 has already been paid. The petition showed that the .suppliant was a worker in the State ‘ lieries at Re wapiti,, and was iiruryd ir tlie mino- on dVfnrcli 6th. 192 G. "Whilst

carrying a prop to put in a sot of timber lie slipped and fell against a box of coal, injuring his.right shoulder. He had since been totally disabled. Ho had received 84 weeks’. compensation at £3 15s per week. Negotiations with the -Mines Department for settlement were opened in September, 1927, hut the Department denied further liability. Being still totally disabled, the suppliant claimed a weekly payment of £3 15s, as, from date, of last payment until the hearing of the claim. Costs were also asked for. Judgment was entered for suppliant for compensation at the rate of £3 15s per week, with costs 12 guineas, and witness expenses on the sca'e allowed by the Magistrate’s Court (six at 14s each). It was stated later that the parties had agreed to > the sum now due to suppliant, £B2 iOs, being paid at the rate of £1 13s per week, or in a lump sum. A dispute between Stratford and Blair and Coy. Ltd. and the Westland Timber Yards Industrial . Union of Workers, was heard, the evidence being of considerable length, judgment being reserved.