THE FLAXMILLERS’ DISPUTE.

Rangitikei Advocate and Manawatu Argus, Volume XXXI, Issue 8717, 17 January 1907, Page 3

THE FLAXMILLERS’ DISPUTE.

The Conciliation Board sat in Palmer, itoa yesterday to consider the demands of the Manawatu Flaxmill Employees’ ' Industrial Union of Workers. The members of the Board were:— Messrs P. J. O’Began (chairman), H. Innes and P. Bedford (employers’ repreicntativcs), and A. Collins and A. H. Cooper (Labour representatives). Mr W. Pryor appeared on behalf of the employers and Messrs Simpson, Comerford and Castle on bolialf of the Union. The principal demands -wore : —Hours of labour not to exceed 46 weekly. All statutory and public holidays to bo allowed without stoppage of pay, but diould employees have to work on those holidays, except Christmas Day, Good Friday and Sundays, rates and a half to be paid and double rates on Christmas Day, flood Friday and Sundays. No piecework to bo allowed in any branch except cooking, flax-cutting, firewood-cutting, gaming, paddocking and scutching. The catting rate to ho decided by mutual agreement, but if a dispute arise, the uiatter to be decided by a committee congjsting of one person elected by the cotters, one by tbe employer, and a third selected by tiioso two representatives. All flax to bo weighed at the tram head. The rate for contract paddocking to bo: — prom Ist April to 30th September (inclusive), 30s per ton ; from Ist October to 31st March (inclusive), 25s per ton; 5s per ton extra when carting has to be done. Minimum rate for scutching to bo 30sper ton. Time rates to bo: —Strippcr-kocpers jE2 10a per week ; ditto, when feeding, ,£4 15s; ditto, when engine-driving .£5; ditto, when feeding and managing, .£5 fs; washer, finding boots and aprons, 10s per day; feeders, 11s per day; bench loader. Os per dixy; sorters, 8s 6d per day ; catchers, Os per day ; shakers, 8s pur day ; paddookers, 8s per day ; head paddockors, £•> pis per week ; rouscftbonts, £2 5s per week; draymen, from ,£2 7s to .£3 per week j all hands employed daily in swamp, 10s per day ; all manual labourers, not otherwise specified, 8s per day: cooks, (rom 32s 6d per week, and 3s 3d per week I [or each man in addition to ten men; all cooking, dining and storerooms to be detached from the sleeping quarters. There were about sixty employers cited and a number were in attendance. The President said the result of the 'dispute would either bo an agreement or jiß award covering tho whole industrial district from Waverloy on the West Coast and Wairoa on the East Coast to Wellington. Tho usual procedure adopted, though tho Board had power to call witnesses and heir evidence, etc., was to go into conference from which the press was excluded. That procedure ho proposed to adopt on the present occasion. Of course, all the employers present could b« present, but it would be for tho labour representatives to say if more than three 0 { the employers’ representatives should take part in tho discussion. The Board itself took no part in tho proceedings, though tho chairman would preside. Mr Simpson, on behalf of the Union, objected to more than three employers’ representatives taking active part. Tho chairman explained that while everyone interested could stay during the (.inference it was bettor, so as to expedite natters, for only a small number to disease the questions.

Mr Pryor, on behalf of tho employers, expressed himself satisfied with tho chairman’s explanation, and said that for the present sitting Messrs Seifert and Greig, with himself, would represent the employers. Tho Board then went into conference jb4 sat until 9.30 last evening. The sitting will bo continued to-day. No information will be available until the contusion of the conference.