ARBITRATION COURT.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LI, Issue 222, 12 September 1908, Page 2

ARBITRATION COURT.

By Telegraph.—Press Association. Wellington, Lust .Night. Judgment was delivered tins atlernoon by Mr. Justice Sim in the Arbitration Court in the rase of the Tailors' Union v. tlie D.1.C., and application for the enforcement of the tailors' award ill the clause dealing with '"bespoke work." "It is desirable to add," said his Honor, "that Mr. Corrigau, tiro manager for the respondents, appears to have done all that he reasonably could do to prevent any broach of award, lie gave Mr. Fitzcll specific in>tructio _ ns in writing on the subject in IDOO, and if these instructions had been carried out, sio breach of thv award would have taken place." The Court held that on the evidence it was clear the suit made for Keardon must be treated as havhig been made and sold as tailor-made. A line of .Co to be paid to the Union, was imposed. Evidence was hoard in respect ol a claim for £3O compensation brought against the Wellington District Hospital Board by Harry Wilcox, generally known as Harry Ixoeah, a farm laborer, employed at the Otaki Sana: torium. The accident leading to the injury, causing, it was stated, total incapacity for seven months,"ffficl probabfy permanent, was alleged to have "taken place on or about 4th March, 1008, in a heart strain caused by lifting heavy stumps and over exertion. The Court reserved its decision.

Dunedin, Last Night. The Arbitration Court awards in the Otago coal mining disputes have liocn received by file Clerk of Awards. In the Green Island dispute the principle points in issue were the question o9 weighing coal and hewing rates. Tim Court held that the Union failed to make out a case for ;i change in the present system, but it appeared that during the negotiations between the parties, the employers had offered certain increases and the Court granted what the employers were willing lo concede. Shift wages are not to be less than 10s per shift. The portion of the award dealing wit'h strikes is to the effect that the Union shall do all in its power to prevent strikes, and if a strike by any workers affected by the award occurs the award shall be suspended and the hours of work, wages, etc., shall be fixed l\y agreement between each employer and individual workers employed by him. Pi I connection wit'h the Taratu dispute. the Court fixed the wages at 10s, with one shilling extra when working dips. Hewing rates were those offered by the company, viz., 2s Od, an increase of 3d per ton. The miners, it is stated failed lo satisfy the Court that the rates offered by the company would not enable them to earn a living wage. J Christc'lnu'cli, Last Night.

-Ur. P. F. Warcy, representing the Shearers' Union, when questioned on the subject of Mr. Justice Sim's remarks, said the strike clause was diametrically opposed to the principle underlying the Arbitration Act. It was file intention of tlie Act to abolish sweating, but the effect of tile clause would be merely to secure compulsory industrial peace which was a very different thing to that which was intended, Dealing with the specific case of tin' application of the clause to the shearers' award, Mr. Darcy said that any attempt to put the clause into operation would result in the destruction of tSu award. Anyone who knew anything of the condition of shearing would realise that it was impossible for the Union to exercise control over all the sheds. The men were isolated from one another, and if the shearers rn any particular shed struck work (which they could do without consulting the Union), then the whole 1-">OU men engaged ill the shearing industry would have to suffer on account of the action of the few. The clause referred to would render it possible for any dissatisfied employer who thought the Court had awarded 100 high a ra'fV of pay to prompt a handful of non-union-ists to join the union for the purpose of committing a strike involving tUie whole union. The result would be that the award would be cancelled thereby, giving the award and the union into the hands of non-unionists.