BOOT TRADE DISPUTE.

Rangitikei Advocate and Manawatu Argus, Volume XXXIV, Issue 9478, 22 June 1909, Page 5

BOOT TRADE DISPUTE.

Par Press Assoc iation

Wellington, June 21. The award in connection with the Federated Boob Trade dispute has been filed in Christchurch. It provides that the clauses dealing with preference of employment, department, machinery, and control of factory are the same as in the existing award, except that instead of a committee being set up to deal with applications to work at home this matter is left to the Inspector of Factories, The Court made only two grades of workers, and include.d lining cutters in the second grade. The minimum wage for the first grade has been fixed at Is per hour, and for the second at la per hour.

The principal .ground on which the Union based its claim was that there had been an increase since 1905 in the duty on imported boots. The parties were not agreed as to the amount of increased duty. The increase granted by the present award is based principally on the offer made by the employers. The hours of labour are fixed at 47, as against 45 asked by the Union, The Court says it is incomprehensible that workers who are paid by the hour, and who complain that they are not earning 'enough, should desire to have their hours reduced, with die certainty, in ordinary circumstances, that their earnings also will be reduced. The Court thinks the hours should have been restored to 48, as fixed originally, so as to enable workers to increase their earnings.