INFLUENZA.

Press, Volume LV, Issue 16432, 28 January 1919, Page 7

INFLUENZA.

SPREADING IX MELBOURNE.

(By Cable.—Pjesa Association. —CopyxigJ MELBOURNE, January 27 There arc no">v 15G eases of influe: in the city. TWO DEATHS REPORTED. (Received January -7th. 5.15 p.m. MELBOURNE, January 27 Ten fresh eases have been report and two deaths. THE PNEUMONIC TYPE. CAMPAIGN OPENED. (Received January 27th, 9.4-3 p.m. SYDNEY, January 27 The Board of Health has finally i tided that pnoumonie influenza has < tained a footing in New South Wal A c-ominittec visited the Rand-wick H pital and diagnosed tho suspick cases, all of whom contracted the c ease in Melbourne. The Director Quarantine has been officially notifi to that effect, and requested to pi claim the State an infected area. Schools, theatres, picture shows, a other indoor amusements are to closed from to-morrow. S.O.S. car on Now Zealand lines are being dist buted. 'All steamer passengers fr< Melbourne aro being medically exa: incd. A ited Cross campaign to co; bat the scourgo has commence Masked V.A.D.'s are patrolling ccrta districts and distributing literature. PAYMENT OF WAGES FOR TIM] LOST. LIABILITY OF EMPLOYERS. (PBESS ASSOCIATION TELEGRAM.) WELLING!ON, Januaiy 27. The liability ot employers vo p; wages for time lost dm mg tho recw cpiuoniic of iniiueiiza lias been ti subject of two opinions lateiy givt hy the Solicitor-General to taio Laboi •Department. 'ihe Soiicivor--Uener; gave Ms iirst opinion in reply oxciu iveiy to (questions that hail arisen i regard to Uic wages ot workers who ha ceased work temporarily owing to t-ii closing of tiicir employers' promises L order of the idealtn J-tepanmeiit. ii said:—"l am asked to advise as to th obligation of employers to pay wag« to tnoir employees during the perio for which their piaces of business ivei closed by order of tile .District libalt Ofhcer in view of die epidemic of ir lluenza.. Such compulsory closing c places of business does not in itself i: aiiy manner take away or affect th obligation of employers to pay wages So long as a servant is not guilty c misconduct, ho is entitled to be pan his wages until his engagemont ha beon lawfully terminated by tho requi site notice. It makes no differenc that, by roason of some emergency, k iias been prevented from actually work ing. Th 0 only employers, therefore ivho can refuse to pay wages are thosi ,v 'ho, on the closing of their premises took the occasion to terminate tho on ;agement of their servants in tho prope; nanner, having regard to the terms o: :hat engagement, tho custom of th( -rade, and the provisions of any aware >r industrial agreement relative thereto ."ought to add, in order to avoid misipprehonsion, that in tno cai*) of sor'ants employed by the day or by the lour, the terms of employment may n uch that tho mero closing of the em •loyor's place of business is in itself uffieient notice of the termination ol niployment." After the Labour Department had reeived this opinion, the Chief Inspostor f Factories was advised that the Solici. or-Genernl would go further, and would ny that, whether an employer's place f businoss was compulsorily closed own or not, the employer was liable ntil employment was • terminated by aquisito notice, to pay the wages of an mployee who was absent on account of lness. The liability of employers will b© tho lbject of test cases to be heard in Wellington this week.