ARBITRATION COURT

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LV, Issue 105, 19 September 1912, Page 3

ARBITRATION COURT

LABOR AWARDS. By Telegraph.—Press Association. ' Wellington, Tuesday. lhe Arbitration Court resumed its sittings to-day. lhe Drivers' -Federation, applied for a universal award. The demands were for a week of 47 ] / 2 hours, including time occupied in attendance 011 horses, cleaning harness and vehicles, and booking in time. Minimum wages were asked as follows: One horse, £2 14s; two horses, £2 18s and 4b per horse for each additional horse; casual labor at the rate of Is Od iper foour and overtime Is Od per hour. Preference to unionists was also asked. Twenty-two witnesses were called for the Federation. For the employers Mr Pryor said that although in many cases drivers were busy for the first two daj's in the week, the horses were often standing idle during the remaining four days. The drivers must have their week's wage, but other restrictions were asked to be removed, lhe employers wished the wages to remain practically the same as in the last award. The preference clause was objected to. The Court was asked to limit the scope of the award, as it would be a hardship to many firms who employed drivers, if they were brought under 'the award. The Court adjourned till the morning. !

_ Judgment was delivered by Mr Justice Sim in the Arbitration Court to-day in a case in which John Dalziell claimed compensation from Crow Bros, for injury at a llaxmill at Tokoinaru, belonging to defendants. Plaintiff injured the little linger of his right hand, and poisoning setting in, the finger had to be amputated. The inflammation spread to the wrist and up the arm, and his hand was rendered . permanently useless. Plaintiff was awarded compensation at the rate of £1 14s per week for eleven weeks. He was in the Palmerston Hospital and a lump sum for total loss of bis right hand, calculated according to the rules laid in Prouse v. l'rousc, Limited, with .costs was allowed (£l2 12s). An award in the butchers' trade was filed on the lines of the agreement arrived at before the Conciliation Council. It will operate for three years. The minimum asked is £3 10s weekly, second shopman £3, first small goodsman £3 10s, other hands £2 lis, and rider out, if 21 years of age or over, £1 12s 04