SHEARERS’ AWARD.

Taranaki Daily News, 7 October 1921, Page 6

SHEARERS’ AWARD.

APPLIES TO THE WHOLE COUNTRY. (I*rom Our Parliamentary Reporter.) Wellington, Oct. 5. “Does the shearers’ award apply to the whole Dominion?” asked Mr. W. S. Vlenn (Rangitikei) in the House of Representatives. The Minister for Labor (Mr. Anderson) replied that he had received several inquiries on this point, and he had asked the department for a statement of the legal position. The department was of opinion that the award covered not merely the Wellington district, where it had been made, but also all the other industrial districts except Nelson and Westland. The ease had been heard by • the Arbitration Court* throughout the country, and at the request of both parties the Court had decided to make a uniform award. Tins had been done, and the award was now in force in the districts indicated. The Minister added that a number of sheep-owners were not bound by the award owing to their not being members of the Sheep-owners’ Union. It was not the ease, as had been suggested. that such sheep-owners were hound by the previous award. The old award had ceased to exist. Sheep-owners who were not members of the union and had. not been cited as parties on the present award were not bound by any award. Mr. Anderson read to the Rouse the clauses of the new award providing that a refusal to work under its provisions or attempt to induce persons to refuse to work was a violation of the award, and was punishable by a fine of £lOO in the case of a union, and £5 in the case of a member of the union.