BREACH OF FLAXMILLERS’ AWARD.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXI, Issue 450, 11 February 1909, Page 2

BREACH OF FLAXMILLERS’ AWARD.

INSPECTOR CUEVER V. F. S. EASTON.

At the Magistrate’s Court on Tuesday last, Inspector Culver proceeded against F. S. Easton, flaxmiller, (Cohen) for not paying a driver the award wages on Eabour Day. The amount involved was 7s Bd.

For the defence: Mr Cohen explained that the clause in the award was very vague. His client had no intention of withholding the wages due to the employee. An excess of the amount claimed had since been paid. Inspector Culver said that the secretary of the Union had reported the breach to him, and he subsequently interviewed defendant’s manager. He pointed out to the manager that the employee had to be paid time and a quarter for the first four hours and thereafter time and a half in addition to his ordinary day’s wages for Eabour Day. The manager stated that he had paid the employee all that he was entitled to, viz., time and a quarter and lime and a half without the addition of the ordinary day’s pay, which the manager considered the employee was not entitled to. Rather than pay the difference he would make a test case of it. The breach was cited for the Arbitration Court, but the Inspector was instructed in accordance with the new regulations, to bring the case before the Magistrate. Since the breach had been cited defendant’s manager had written enclosing the difference in dispute, but objected to pay an extra 20 minutes as the employee had arrived late on the day in question, and another man had to be put on to get the horses in. The Inspector stated that defendant could have saved expense if he had taken the trouble to read the award carefully or to have obtained the inspector’s interpretation of the clause. The Magistrate said the award was quite clear. If the man worked on Eabour Day he had to be paid time and a quarter and time and a half in addition to his wages. A breach of the award had been committed and defendant would be fined £2 and costs Bs.