JUNIORS AND MESSAGE BOYS.

Manawatu Standard, Volume LVII, Issue 212, 7 August 1937, Page 2

JUNIORS AND MESSAGE BOYS.

MINIMUM WAGE DIFFICULTY. Per Tress Assoviation. HAWERA, Aug. 7. Tho contention that the Shops and Offices Act, by providing a minimum of 15s a week, with half-yearly increases of four shillings for office juniors and message boys, was opposed to the licet interest of the employees was-made by . the Hawera Chamber of Commence. It decided to circularise-a resolution of protest to all chamebrs and the Manufacturers’ Association, and forward it as a remit to the annual conference of the Associated Chambers. It was pointed out that one ill-effect of the law was that, tlie employer was held back from paying' above the minimum by reason of the fact that the halfryearlv increase had to be added to the actual wage paid. As a result, many juniors had to wait for the expiry of six or twelve months before receiving extra reinueration; Another ill-effect was that when it became uneconomic to employ a message boy there was no alternative but to dismiss him. As future employers had to take into account the boy’s previous experience, it was Contended that the Dominion was soon going to be faced with another “unwanted youth” problem.