Conciliation Court.

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLI, Issue 8189, 15 May 1906, Page 5

Conciliation Court.

The Uoaeh-workcrs' Dispute.

The Conciliation Court sat in Palmerston this morning in connection with the dispute between the coachbuilders and the Wellington Ooaehworkers' Industrial Union of Workers.

The nersonnel of the Court was as followsMr P. J. O'Began (chairman), Messrs H. Innes and F. Bedford (employers' representatives), and Messrs A. Collins and A. H. Cooper (workers' representatives). Mr W. Grenvillc appeared for the Employers and Mr W. H. Vv' estbrooke for the Union.

In all forty-two coach-building firms were cited to appear before the Court. Mr Weitbrooke, for the Union, applied to have several other names attached to the list. After consideration in Committee, the Board intimated that the firms mentioned would be duly notified of a sitting of the Board to be held in Wellington, at which they would have an opportunity of being present. The names were therefore not attached to the present list. The principal claims put forward by the Union were : —That all journeymen coachworkers shall be paid not less than Is 6'd per hour ; the week's work shall consist of 44 hours, 8 hours per day on 5 days, and four hours on Saturday ; all boys shall be legally indentured for five years; piece work shall not be allowed.

The employers on the other hand mai'e the following counter-proposals : —That iourneymen shall be paid not less than Is 2d per hour; the week's work shall be of 48 hours, on 5 days from 7.30 a.m. to 5.30 p.m. and one day from 7.30 a.m. and 1 p.m.; that apprentices, at the end of five years, shall receive a certificate showing that this term has been served; any workman may be employed on piece-work, on such terms as may be arranged. The Chairman then intimated that the Board desired to go into conference to disimss matters, and after some controversy between counsel as to the points to be dealt with, this was decided on. The employers appointed two of their number to represent them, and the remainder and the press then withdrew.