GAS WORKERS' OVERTIME

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Issue 26, 15 February 1937, Page 8

GAS WORKERS' OVERTIME

—Press Association.)

Judgment of Court

tBy Telegraph

| NELSON, Feb. 12. { "Although my miad is not free from jdoubt, I have conciuded that the regu-. (latioiis gazetted on August 13," modiifying Seetions 14 and 15 of the Factories Amendment Aet, do not take away from gasworks employees thei right to additional wages when they, ',are required to work on the Saturday. ihalf-holiday," said the Magistrate (Mr. T. E. Maunsell) in an importaut judgment giving his decision for the' department in a case against the Nelson City Council of . employing a gasworks stoker on Saturday afternoon,1 not paying the extra rate. The action was brought to test the effect of the Order-in-Council on the seetions stated. The Magistrate considered that the effect of the regulation was to modify the section by reducing the rate of the additional , wages on wbole holidays and Sundays from double time to time and a-half. The section regarding half -holidays was not 'affected. A charge of reducing wages becauseof the reduction of working hours was dismissed, although stokers previouslyj worked 56 hours. The Magistrate ruled' that the new rates must be worked on' a basis of 48 hours per week, as the extra hours were overtime, though not paid for.