BUTCHERS AND PORK BUTCHERS

Dominion, Volume 14, Issue 146, 16 March 1921, Page 3

BUTCHERS AND PORK BUTCHERS

BREACH OF AWARD ALLEGED. The distinctions between an ordinary butchery and a pork butchery, and the differences in labour conditions applicable to each, were discussed in the Magistrate’s Court yesterday, when R. T. Bailey (Inspector of Awards) proceeded against A. E. Preston and Co., butchers, of Wellington, for breach of award, t'he offence alleged being that the defendants employed female assistants on their weekly half-holiday. Mr. H. Putnam appeared for the defendants. An interesting point arose as to when the actual working week commenced, and relative thereto Mr. Bailey referred to Halisbury "Laws of England,” which defined a week ns "the time between midnight. on Saturday and the some hour on the succeeding Saturday.” The assistants had been made to work, Mr. ifiiley alleged, on Wednesday afternoon, their statutory half-holiday. After-dealing with the question of the half-holiday, Mr. Putnam submitted that there were no females employed in the butchery, but they were employed in the pork butcher's section. "Yes.” said Mr. Hunt. "I suppose the shop is divided. If you want a pound of pork chops you go on one side, nnd on the other side for mutton chops.” Counsel agreed, and emphasised the difference between perk butchers’ nnd butchers’ shops. "A woman can engime a woman in a pork butcher’s shop,” he eaid.

"Ouife so,” agreed Mr. Hunt. Counsel further said that if the week was to be strictly defined ns a "calendar" week, several clauses in the award would have to be interpreted—nnd that would be a hard matter. Decision was reserved until Tuesday next.