ENGINEERS' DISPUTE.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXI, Issue 3005, 30 September 1908, Page 5

ENGINEERS' DISPUTE.

The Court then proceeded with the Engineers'dispute. . Mr W. H. Westbrooke appeared "> for the Union, and Mr Pryor for the employers.

No evidence was called on either side,-and the Court was addressed on the claims.

Mr Pryor said that the employers had established a pretty sound case • , against any increase in the wages of J apprentices. Evidence had been called in various places to show how very small the returns were in large es- ' tablishments, while in Masterton the Farmers' Implement Company had only paid one dividend of 5 per cent, in eight years. The employers had agreed after much persuasion to increase journeymen's wages to Is 4Jd per hour, to brine the trade into lino with others throughout the Dominion.

Mr Westbmpke addressed the Court also, and dwelt at length on the increased cost of living He also laid stress on the difficult and valuable nature of the trade, which he said necessitated constant study evenafter men had served their time, and .. constant replenishing of tool outfits j to keep in line with modern advancements. He contended that labour returns for the! past thirteen years - showed ari increase .of nearly four times the number employed in the, industry.' The Court then adjourned until today.