REGISTRY OFFICE FEES.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 19, 17 October 1907, Page 3

REGISTRY OFFICE FEES.

Dismay has been caused in the ranks of tho registry-ofiico keepers by the sudden alteration in tho-scale of fees which they, are entitled to ask from their clients, servants and employers alike. Up to tho present, where thero has been any difference botween tho amount that was asked from employer or employed, the advantago has been on tho side of the', employer, that -is to say, married couples engaged- at a rate of less than £50 a year have had to pay. 7s. 6d. for an engagement, where the employer paid 55., and married couplos whose wages exceeded - that amount paid 10s. to the employer's ss. But under the now scale of charges tho employer is orery time to be charged twice as much as tho employeo. ijow will 'this work outP Several of the leading rogistry-offico keepers in Wellington, when interviewed yesterday, took a very pessimistic view, and said that if the now scale of foeß wore to romain in forco tho .result would probably be that tho offices would have to close,'as the reduction in tho fee to bo asked for from the employeo would not be compensated for by tho increase in tho employer's fee. It seems tliat it is a regular custom of tho keopers of hotels, restaurants, and tea-rooms to pay no fee to tho offices through which they engage employees, and tho registry-office keepors say that if some of them were to insist on the payment of tho Fee to which they are legally entitled it would simply mean that the hotel-keepers would go elsewhero for their sorvants, knowing that not every ofneo would insist. The rogistry-offico keepers do not intond to take this alteration in their charges, without protest, and already arrangements are being made for a mooting to bo hold at the end of tho month, .when a formal pfotcst will be ontered. j