a.—6

XXXII

Constitution of Local Boards. — (a.) A local Board of Conciliation shall be established in Wellington, Christchurch, and Dunedin, or in any other place that may be hereafter mutually agreed upon, consisting of three members of the New Zealand Boot Manufacturers' Association or their nominees, being members of the Association or their managers, and three employes working for the members of the association nominated by the local union. Four to form a quorum. The vote of any absent member may be used by the side he represents, (b.) The said members shall serve for not less than aix months, unless disqualified from acting aa a member of the Board, (c.) The Board shall meet when required, but not oftener than once a month, (d.) Copies of all correapondence shall be kept by the secretary, and shall be produced at each Board meeting, (c.) Should a dispute arise that requires an immediate settlement, and upon which the local Board to which it was referred to cannot agree, each side shall submit their views in writing to the other local Boards, whose decision by a majority shall be binding until the next General Board meeting, when the decision can be confirmed, amended, or rescinded. Pending the decision by the majority of the local Boards, or a decision of the General Board, the work in dispute shall proceed under such conditions and prices as the manufacturer may decide, such to be readjusted in accordance with the ultimate decision of the Board, (/.) All complaints must be made in writing, and sent in at least three days prior to the meeting of the local Board, when the secretary shall immediately advise members of the business to be transacted, (jr.) In all diaputes one representative of the employers and one repreaentative of the employes will be allowed to state the case under discussion, provided that such representative is connected with the trade, and is party to this agreement. Witnesses may be called, but all must retire while the Board decide the case, (h.) Should a new class or method of work be introduced by any manufacturer for which no provision has been made for piecework, and for which piecework prices are required by the manufacturer, a sample shall be immediately submitted to the local Board of Conciliation for the purpose of having a price fixed, and should the price so fixed be considered satisfactory by a majority of the members of the Board it shall be added to the statement of prices, and the local Board shall have power to fix the price pending its confirmation or alteration by the General Board. The price fixed for the new class of work by the local Board shall take effect as from the date on which the sample was referred to the Board. (a.) All General Board decisions or arbitration awards shall be printed and posted in each associated factory within twenty-one days from date of meeting or award. (6.) All local Board decisions shall be forwarded to all other local Boards within forty-eight hours after meeting. Powers of Local Boards. —To deal with any breach of the statement properly reported by either side to have been made. To arrange all matters relating to wages not already provided for by the General Board, (a.) Pending the discussion and decision of any difference or dispute between the parties hereto or any members of an organization, there shall be no lock-out, strike, stoppage, or ceasation of work by either employer or employed, (b.) Work shall be continued at the rates and conditions ruling at the time the dispute occurred until the ruling of the arbitrators has been received. The general wages of the statement can only be altered at the annual meeting of the General Board; and either side wishing to effect an alteration must give notice in writing not later than the 15th July, setting forth as fully as possible the details of the proposed alterations. Minimum Weekly Wage. —Clickers, benchers, finishers, £2. Any peraons working in any of the departments governed by the minimum wage who are not capable of commanding the wage may refer their case to the local Board of Conciliation, who shall deal with it, and whose decisions shall be final. The Bootmakers' Statement. (1.) (a.) It is the individual right of the employer to decide who he shall employ or dismiss, (b.) It is the individual right of the workman to accept or refuse work from any employer. (2.) Employers shall employ members of the New Zealand Federated Bootmakers' Union in preference to non-members, provided there are members of the union who are equally qualified with non-members to perform the particular work required to be done, and are ready and willing to undertake it. When non-members are employed there shall be no distinction between the members and non-members ; both shall work together in harmony, and both shall work under the same conditions, and receive equal pay for equal work. Any dispute under this rule shall be decided by the Chairman of the Conciliation Board for the district under the Industrial Conciliation and Arbitration Act; or, if he shall be unable or unwilling to act, then by some person nominated by him not being connected with the trade, and not being a manufacturer or employer in any trade. (3.) Theae rules and conditions shall apply to the clicking, benching, finishing, and machinery departments. (4.) There shall be a General Board of Conciliation, (a) consisting of six members of the New Zealand Boot Manufacturers' Association actively engaged in manufacturing, and six members of the Federated Boot Trade ; must bear testimony, examine witnesses, and decide on the merits of the case ; said members shall be elected in October in each year, and shall serve for twelve months, but shall be eligible for re-election. Three members from each side shall form a quorum ; a majority of votes shall be final in all cases, but the vote of any absent member may be used by the side he represents. (6.) The Board shall elect a Chairman outaide its members, who shall not have either a deliberative or a casting vote, (c.) In case of a tie vote the diaputed queation ahall be submitted to the Board of Arbitration under the Act; but this shall not prevent the matter being referred to private arbitration if both sides mutually agree to this course, and any decisions arrived at by the private arbitrators shall be final and binding upon all parties ; and for this purpose the rules shall be registered as an industrial agreement under " The Industrial Conciliation and Arbitration Act, 1894." (d.) All expenses in connection with arbitration shall be borne by the losing party, the proportion of expenses to be equal on both sides ; but no expensea will be allowed to witnesses on either side. (5.) A local Board of Conciliation shall be eatablished in each centre, of aix peraons —three to be selected by the employers and three by the employes—all to be actively engaged as manufacturers or employes under the statement. The said members shall serve for not less than six months; four to form a quorum, two from each side; the vote of any member absent to be exercised by the party he represents. The Board to meet when required. (6.) (a.) Pending the discussion and decision of any dispute between the parties hereto, or any member of either organization, there shall be no lock-out, strike, stoppage, or cessation of work by either employer or employed. (6.) Work shall be continued at the rates and conditions ruling at the time the dispute occurred until the ruling of the arbitrators has been received. (7.) Should a dispute arise that requires immediate settlement (a) and upon which the local Boards cannot agree, to which it was referred, each side shall submit their views in writing to the other local Boards, whose decision by a majority shall be binding until the next General Board meeting, when the decision shall be confirmed, amended, or rescinded. (6.) All complaints must be made in writing, and sent in at least three days prior to the meeting of the local Board, when the secretary shall immediately advise members of the business to be transacted. (3.) In all disputes one representative of the employers and one representative of the employes will be allowed, provided he is connected with the trade and a party to this agreement. Witnesses may be called, but all must retire while the Board decide the case. (8.) (a.) All General Board decisiona or arbitrators' awards ahall be printed and posted in each factory within twenty-one days from date of meeting or award, (b.) All local Board decisions shall be forwarded to all other local Boards within forty-eight hours after meeting. (9.) General Boards may be summoned by request of half the members on paying a deposit of £10. The powers of General Boards to be : (a) To deal with all questions affecting the wages of workmen in the above departments ; (b) to alter the scale of pay for pieceworkers; (c) to alter the amount of the minimum wage ; (d) to alter the piecework system from time to time, as the development of the trade may demand; (c) to fix new prices for piecework; (/) to deal with proportion of apprentices to journeymen; (g) to make an agreement for a period not exceeding three years. (10.) Should a new class or method of work be introduced by any manufacturer, a sample shall be immediately aubmitted to the local Board of Conciliation for the purpose of having a price fixed, and should the price so fixed be considered satisfactory by a majority of members of the Board it shall be added to the statement of prices, and the price so fixed shall be paid to the workmen for all work that has been done previous to the price being fixed by the local Board, such price to remain in force until confirmed, amended, or otherwise, by the General Board of Conciliation. (11.) It is the manufacturer's right to introduce whatever machinery he deems necessary or his business may require. If a division or subdivision of labour is required for the purpose of working such machinery, such division or subdivision shall be allowed subject to the minimum wage. (12.) Weekly hands may be employed in connection with machinery at such