PROTECTION OF WAGES MEN.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LII, Issue 175, 28 August 1909, Page 6

PROTECTION OF WAGES MEN.

SAWMILLIXG COMPANY FINED. (Special Correspondent.) At thy ordinary monthly sitting ot the Magistrate's Court at Opunake oil Thursday last, before Mr. H. S. Fit?.heibert, S.M., the Inspector of Factories, Air. H. \\ illis, proceeded against the Opunake Sawmilling Company, Ltd., on eighteen informations for failing to pay wages to employees in their Te Kiri and ivtvliui mills at fortnightly intervals, The company waa represented by its manager, Mr. Robert Greig, while the; Inspector appeared in person. i Mr. Greig admitted the offences, and explained that- when ho took charge oi the company some four or five months ago he found the lose on the previous years working was shown at £I2OO, and the men's "wages were then very much in arrears, lie had managed to pay off some of these arrears, and since ihe informations had been laid he had paid over £2OO arrears of wages. All the men's "wages were now paid up to »i*' end of Julv.

The Inspector admitted that the statement made by the manager was loirect, and stated that the manager iiftierved the greatest commendation for fie manner in which he had remedied natters in the short time he had been mi charge. In paying off over £4OO nrears of wages he had done wondeis. • he fact remained, nevertheless, that the company had allowed the men's wages to get over £SOO in arrears. When he made enquiries into the cas: on 4th August he found the wages u' five men in the mill and one man in th j yard at Rahotu were three months in arrears, and the wages of twelve men at the Xe Kiri mill in arrears three weeks. He pointed out that, apart altogether from the hardship imposed upon the employees, whose existence depended upon the fruits of their labor, the action of the company had a far-reaching effect, because the employees were forced to obtain their supplies from the local traders on credit. He, however, did not wish to dilate at great length upon the matter. His Worship would quite appreciate the position. In his (Mr. Willis') opinion it was most unfair 'or any company or firm to hold the earnings of its employees for the purpose of running its business, particularly because there was a risk of the men's earnings being lost. In conclusion, he pointed out that section 32 of the Factories Act, 1908, made it imperative that wages should be paid in full at not more than fortnightly intervals, and in default beyond seven days in th'e full and punctual payment provided a maximum penalty of 5s a day for each day beyond that limit. Under" the Shops and Offices Act the law was the same. The Inspector asked that a conviction should be lecorded against the company in each ease. He would not suggest a penalty, being quite content to leave that to the judgment of the Court.

His -Worship, in giving judgment, said there was no doubt the payment of wages by this company had been very badly neglected in the past, and this, as had been pointed out by the Inspector, had had a far-reaching effect. He recognised that very good work had been done by the present manager N paying up arrears of wages, and he deserved credit for it. The law made it imperative that wages should be paid fortnightly and provided a maximum penalty of 5s a day for every day ; n default beyond seven days. If he were to impose the full penalty in each of the pightc<n cases the amount of the fine would be over £2OO. He had no wish to cripple the company, however, and. as the wages bad been paid to all the men up to the end of July, he would convict and impose a fine" of 21s and costs 7s in onlv one ease under the Factories Act, and record a conviction without costs in the remaining sixteen eases. He would convict and impose a fine of 10s without costs in the case under the Shops and Offices Act. His Worship remarked that he had no doubt this would •atisfv the Jnsnector. as his object in iavin" Uiese informations w as to prole't the workers arid warn employees illy of the necessity of strictly n'i. '-"uj the law as to payment of