7

H.—ll

Miners in one district claimed concessions in fares from the Railway Department as for suburban rates. Seamen—owing to refusal of cook on steamer to supply supper to seamen coming on board late. Seamen and tramwaymen—refusal to convey passengers on account of jockeys' dispute. Miners—on account of refusal of certain men to pay levy for benefit of strikers at Broken Hill, New South Wales. Several other disturbances, of which the following are the chief, also occurred which did not come within the scope of the Industrial Conciliation and Arbitration Act. There being no award or industrial agreement thereunder in force, they therefore come under the Labour Disputes Investigation Act. Dredge Employees, Bluff. —In order to compel the Bluff Harbour Board to grant increased wages and to abolish "Sunday watch" six men in the employ of the Board discontinued their employment. The Board refused to concede the men's demands and filled their places with a fresh crew. Freezing-works Employees, Whakatane. —Thirteen chamber hands in the employ of the East Coast (Jo-opei'ative Freezing Company (Limited) (and bound by an agreement made under the Labour Disputes Investigation Act, 1913) discontinued their employment in order to compel the company to grant increased wages. The company refused to accede to the demands of the men, and as they refused to resume work their places were filled. Coal-miners, Nightcaps. —Arising out of the refusal of the management of Tinker Bros.' Black Diamond Mine, Nightcaps, to grant increased tonnage rates, a decrease in hours, and the abolition of trucking, seventeen men in the employ of that mine discontinued their employment. Conferences were held betwren the employers and the executive of the union, but no settlement was arrived at. The men accepted engagement elsewhere. The disturbance occupied approximately two months. Timber-yard and Sawmill Workers, Ohutu. —Forty-eight employees of the Egmont Hox Company (Limited), members of a "trade-union" under the Trade-unions Act, discontinued their employment in order to compel the company to recognize their union and attend a conference to fix wages and general conditions of employment. The stoppage of work occupied about thirty-three days, and the dispute was finally settled by the intervention of the Conciliation Commissioner. Industrial Conciliation and Arbitration Amendment Act, 1920. This amendment (passed last year) made some machinery amendments, the chief of which were: — (1.) To give any organization of employers or workers, that is not one of the parties to an industrial dispute filed for hearing, the right to be heard at the hearing before the Conciliation Council or the Arbitration Court. (2.) Relating to the power or direction given to the Arbitration Court in 1918 to alter the minimum wages and hours prescribed in awards and industrial agreements, chiefly on account of the alteration in the cost of living. The 1920 amendment placed this matter entirely in the discretion of the Court, having regard to the interests of the employers and workers affected and of the industry concerned. Proposed Amendment of the Act. Another amendment of the Industrial Conciliation and Arbitration Act that is recommended is that the provisions for the investigation and settlement of what are called Dominion disputes should be altered to permit of such disputes being referred to an enlarged Conciliation Council set up for the districts concerned. Such a dispute would then proceed to the Arbitration Court (like an ordinary dispute in one of the industrial districts) so far as it is not settled by the enlarged Conciliation Council. This would, it is urged, facilitate the settlement of disputes generally and expedite the work of the Court.

Comparative Statement of Minimum Wages fixed by a Number of Awards and Industrial Agreements in Force in Wellington in July, 1921. AWARDS OF COURT OP ARBITRATION.

i Rate per Hour Length of Industry. (including Apprenticeship, Bonus). in Years. Awards in Trades requiring Apprenticeships. s. d. Carpenters Plumbers Boilermakers Engineers b 1 urniture-makers Iron and brass moulders Uoachworkers Painters Rakers —Foremen „ Journeymen railors ■Saddlers Bootmakers 2 3| 5 2 3J 6 2 3-1 5 2 3 J 5 2 3| 5 2 3f 5 2 3-| 5 2 3f 5 2 Of 4 1 10* * 1 10J 5 2 3 5 2 1 i 5