COURT NEWS

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 8, Issue 11, 26 September 1944, Page 5

COURT NEWS

ESSENTIAL INDUSTRY LEFT HOTEL WAITRESS CASE At the monthly sitting of the Opotiki Police. Court held at the Courthouse before Mr E. L. Walton? S.M., a hotel Avaitress, Bunny Hudson aged 1-8 years, was charged that on July 31, at. Opotiki, being a person for the time being employed in an undertaking declared to be essential to wit the Masonic - 1 '1 Hotel,, Opotiki, did leave her employment without the prior permission in writing of a district manpower officer. The Manpower Officer stated that defendant had been employed at the hotel for 47 weeks and had been granted three weeks' leave. She was due to resume work on 31/7/44, but failed to report. A telegram was despatched requesting defendant to return to work but to that date •J the direction had been ignored. It had been ascertained that she had interviewed the manager of the Opotiki Bacon Company and had applied for a position but had been declined. Defendant was aware of her responsibility as the officer had spoken to her and other Maoris employed at the same, place, in their own language some months ago. Jn response to a question "by the defendant said that she was working on her father's farm at present that that was why she did not go back to work. She did not go back on the due date because she was ill for a while at that time. The Magistrate said that he would adjourn the case until October 13 on condition that defendant conferred with the manpower officer concerning her position. She must either return to the position or obtain permission to terminate her employment. He would be reluctant to force a person to work at any particular place against their will.