THE HEMP INDUSTRY.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXVII, Issue 1442, 31 August 1915, Page 3

THE HEMP INDUSTRY.

THE NEW AWARD. In Saturday’s issue a brief summary of the new award filed In connection with the hemp industry was given. In addition to what has already appeared, the following new clauses have been added to the existing award Any time worked in one day beyond eight hours shall be considered overtime, and shall be paid for at the rate of time and a quarter for the first two hours, and thereafter at the rate of time and a half. When tail cutting is done by paddockers, an additional 2s 3d per ton shall be paid. Where board is provided for workers, the food shall be sufficient in quantity and of good quality, and the charge, whether board shall be provided directly by the employer or any person under contract with him, shall not exceed 17s 6d per week. If workers remain at the mill at the request ot the employer, and pending any repairs to the mill, they shall be paid for all time during which they shall so remain. When paddocking is done by piecework, the paddockers shall have the right to engage 'and discharge their own workers. The price for scutching has been fixed at 28s, and flaxcutting at ss. The Court added the following note to the decision re increase of wages, particulars of which have already been published: It was admitted at the hearing that although the market price of flax fibre at present was fairly high, it was subject to sudden fluctuations, and also that the cost of transport, owing to the war, was exceptionally great. It was also proved that the mills worked umier a very great variety of conditions. Some mills were large, and were fitted up with the most improved and up-to-date labour saving machinery, others, forming the largest proportion, were small and still worked with primitive appliances. The flax fields being worked also varied greatly as to situation, the quality of flax being milled, and the conditions under which work \fras carried on. In these [circumstances, the Court felt that both in the interests of the employers and the workers it was inadvisable to make any substantial increases in the minimum wages of better paid workers. The Court had not sufficient evidence to enable the rate of piecework tramming to be fixed-