EXIGENCIES OF DEFENCE.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVII, Issue 235, 13 March 1915, Page 6

EXIGENCIES OF DEFENCE.

lcu A RED-TAPE PKOSECLTiCX. j|'' Auckland, Thursday. A manufacturer of matresses was licj n fore the Jlagistrate to-day on a charge ' of employing three girls for longer itli ' lolirs lan I'ermitted by the award. Defendant explained that he had to oil- sui'l'ly mattresses for one of the troopu ships, and at the special request of the Oefence Department he undertook to deliver them by a certain time. He found it impossible to secure extra assistants, and when he informeil the Defence Department 'officers that he w r ould. have to work his -rftaffl' overtime if the troopship was fee -be -properly equipped in time the offMcrg isfiitl that he would not be prosecuted. 'Be/produced a let. md ter from a Defertie .offiwr-t" -*J-tueCt, les und stating that----" "irking of extra icn hours w» ,v " s( '1 !1 ' (i 'y necessary in the u-u >.-A'sts of the Defence Department. 1 The Ifagistrate (Mr. Kettle): I sug--1 gest that 'under the circumstances you 1 withdraw the case. The Inspector of Awards: I cannot do that. My instructions are that the Department saw no reason why the law should not have been carried out. The sfagistratc: I am not going to punish this man for a technical breach of the Act. I shall adjourn the case in order that the inspector can inform the Department that uijder the very special circumstances the case should be withdrawn. If it is then insisted that the ease be prcceeded with, I will adjudicate upon the matter.