SEEKING JUSTICE.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 1760, 27 May 1913, Page 6

SEEKING JUSTICE.

REGISTRY OFFICE KEEPERS.

THE SCALE OF FEES.

MR. HERDMAN INTERVIEWED,

Strong exception to a rocently gazetted reduction in fees' was taken by a deputation of Wellington registry offico keepers (including a number of ladies), which interviewed tho Hon. A. L. Herdman yesterday. . Mr.' P. Greville, who was the first speaker, said that the deputation was the result of a--meeting of registry office keepers held on Saturday night. Registry offices in New Zealand were licensed, and regulation's gazetted -recently had reduced tho fees' which could legally bo charged by 33 per cent.' He had no hesitation in'saying that tho old scale was a starvation one, and under the new scale ifc would be impossible to carry on. Ut tho people who kept' registry offices many ■were single-ladies or widows with cnii- • tlr«n dependent upon them. In willington there 'were 71 licensed registry omces, and the gross annual - takings averaged, over that number, .£B9 55., or a trifle over 305.-a, week. Out of this had to -be paid rent,. advertising charges, stamps, and telegrams. At the instigation of M>n» .of the Labour party, headed by Mr. Carey, fees had been reduced, as stated, by 33 - -per cent. Where formerly a fee of 3s. was i chargeable, the tee now , was 2s. Tho members of the deputation lhad come, to ask for justice. Personally ' he was not much interested, although no i'h'eld a license—he only found labour for .'factory managers. He looked upon tho ! gazetting of the lower scale of. fees as an attempt to "snufi' ojit" the registry ■offices!' • ! Mr.'J. D. Cruiclcshank said that ho Attended on behalf , of the New Zealand Sheepowners' Labour Exchange, lie ielt ■confident, he remarked,- that if the views ■of the registry office' keepers had urst vlJsen 'heard,- the reduction; would not_ have ; been made. Sir, Massey, in his opinion, (■had been very much misled by representations made to him by a deputation 'irom the Shearers' Conference, that de--1 putation- had made statements, which '■koto absolutely untrue. In some cases 'the fees had been reduced by more than 183 per cent., and the business could not '1)0 earned on. Most Labour orgaiusalions were dead against registry offices. Trho shearers' unions, for instance, said that they, would abolish, registry, offices ultogsther. ■ They-'did not believe m paying a fee, but thought that the employer -should pay everything. "And tho employer, snl d another jnember of tte deputation, thinks he Should not pay anything." Mrs. Passau said that private people Jiad to ba considered. In her office she init through ten private engagements tor tone to a hotel. Whoever received the ■previous deputation heard only one side ot thio question. ' , Mr. : Herdman: Is there any movement ' Amongst registry offico keepers in any ■other, nart of ftew Zealand? A disp'utationist: We have taken it upon >burselves to start it. . The others will Iriaickly fall into line. Mrs: Passau- said that fees had been reduced in 1907 to what was simply a living wage. She had three dependents to ! keep, and if fees were reduced registry office-keepers could not live. there should be-a restriction on-the prices to bo charged; but registry office keepers -should "be allowed a living; wage. ' Mt. O'SulHvnn said that tho agitation Which had resulted in the recent reduc"tion of - fees was Taised chiefly, by Labour organisations connected with the -'"hotel -trade.--Tho hotels would not pay. fiiuything, and registry office keepers would not mind l if hotels were cut out altogether. It was private people who pud. 11l many cases the registry office Kepers had to advanco the faTes of peo•nle for whom they found work. Mr.,Greville,.said that. ; a considerable proportion-of the people for whom work I "was found could not pay a fee, and. were allowed to go without paying. _ Mr Cruickshank remarked that only shearers objected to pay a fee. The ordinary farm hand never objected. Mr.-Herdman: Were you people not given'an opportunity of expressing your opinion before the fees were altered? Deputationists .replied that, they inter-view-fed Mr. Massey, who promised that they would not bo interfered with, it •was added that the new scale of fees, though dated March 31, was notified on May 12, to come into force on Juno 1. Sir. Hmlmitn, in .replying, said that they would Recognise that. the. yepartments ho controlled bad nothing tvh&tever to 'do' with' registry; offices. They Jiad probably como : -to - him because ho •was oub- of. .the . representatives of the ■'"'a depntationist: And Minister for Jtos. I Mr. Herdman said that the Department icf Justice had nothing to do with ser(,vants J i registry offices. They concerned the Department of Labour, of which Mt. 'ffllas'oy was in control.. Hp.,would tfowey Ito Mr. Massev tho representations made 'to him that day, and he' had no doubt ithat if any injustice'had been done, the l-Prime Minister would do his best to put dt right.. It was not necessary for him to ■lexpress anv opinion on what they, had Ifmd. -As soon as possible he would inter/{fiew Mr. Massey on their behalf.