WORK AND WAGES.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVII, Issue 2559, 21 July 1909, Page 5

WORK AND WAGES.

HAWKE’S BAY DROVERS’ DISPUTE. (Per Press Association.) NAPIER, July 20. The Conciliation Council to-day considered the Hawke’s 13 a v drovers’ dispute, and an agreement was arrived at satisfactory to all concerned. The men’s union withdrew their demands, except *hose in respect to wages and the definition of drover. The agreement, which is to have a duration of two years, applies to regular droving, excluding casual work and shifting of droves of cattle xiot exceeding twentyfive in number and flocks of sheep not exceeding three hundred. The miinimum wage is fixed at 12s 6d per day for drovers, and 10s 6d for packmen: The wages at present prevailing are in most cases higher than those just given, and the representatives of the employers have agreed to do all they can to see that no reduction is made in existing rates. There is provision in the agreement ae to qualifications of drovers and for young men learning the trade. The agreement will be drafted to-morrow. THE RIGHT TO STRIKE. AUCKLAND, July 20. In the Arbitration Court, in the Piripaka coal miners’ dispute, Mr. Manning, secretary of the Federated Coal Miners’ Union,urged that wages should be increased all round and brought into line with the wages elsewhere. Since the passing of the Arbitration Act, he asserted, the minimum wage had come to be looked upon as the maximum. Workers no longer had the right to strike. Judge Sim interjected: “If you cancel your registration you can strike.” Mr. Manning: I understood that in an industry to which an award would apply we should be liable if we struck. Judge Sim: Not at all. If you are not registered you can strike.