NEW BONUS.

Taranaki Daily News, 10 November 1920, Page 5

NEW BONUS.

EMPLOYERS OPPOSE IT. RECONSIDERATION ASKED FOR. By Telegraph.—Press Association. Wellington, Nov. !>. The New Zealand Employers' Federation has decided to ask the Arbitration Court to reconsider the bonus of fls recently announced in Christchurch. If the Court agrees, the application will probably be heard in Wellington at an early date. AUCKLAND EMPLOYERS ACT. MEANS DEARER BUILDINGS. INCREASE IN HOTEL CHARGES. Auckland, Last Night. The Auckland Master Builders' Association met this morning aud entered a strong protest against the indefinite terms of the finding of the Arbitration Court on the bonus question. The point raised by one member, and unanimously endorsed, was that builders had occasion to hire workmen for periods of a month qr two on many jobs, and all accounts for many building jobs would be squared before the bonus was made operative. An instance was given of a building that would be completed at the end of .January, and on which 60 men were employed. The charge for that work had already been agreed upon, and it was contended that the contractor could not possibly surcharge the bonus until he was certain it would be authorised. If he had to wait till, perhaps, February before the Court formally awarded the bonus to workmen, he would have to pay an extra 9s per week to 60 men for ETiree months out of his own pocket. This \«ould mean £351, which he could not recover unless he surcharged the owner on the grounds that the bonus would certainly be given. Both the Auckland licensed victuallers and the restaurant and private hotel keepers met this morning to consider the wages bonus. The licensed victuallers met first, and discussed the situation, deciding to appoint a committee to meet the restaurateurs and hotel-keepers. The meeting was private. The opinion was exprcsesd by several members that if the bonus were adhered to in the case of hoa«.linghousps the effect would he to put many of the owners out of the business, as they could not raise their rates to the public higher than they now are. An agreement was reached that the secretary should communicate with the Arbitration Court, so that the employers could appear in Wellington as soon as possible and secure a hearing, rather than wait until February. It was pointed out that employees of hotels, restaurants, and boarding-houses were in a different category from most employees, as they were kept at the employers' expense, and so an increase in the cost of living affected them only slightly. A joint committee of the two bodies will act in the case.