AN IMPORTANT CASE.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXVIII, Issue 7982, 9 March 1906, Page 5

AN IMPORTANT CASE.

THE WOKKING OF THE ARBITRATION ACT AFFECTED.

An important oase, affecting the j position of workmen under the award of the Arbitration Court, came on for bearing at the Supreme Court, Wellington, on Wednesday, before His Honor the Chief Justice, in the form of the appeal Reese v. Baillie and Co., from the decision of Mr W. P. James, S.M. in the Magistrate's Court,' Pahiatua. The appellant—a printer—sued the respondent Company in the lower Court for £SO, being arrears of wages due to him, the arrears being computed on the scale of the Arbitration Court award. The defendant Company admitted that the wages paid were £SO in arrear of the award scale, but alleged that appellant had himself agreed to accept the lower wage, and that the Arbitration Court had refused to grant him the arrears when he applied to that Court for same. Mr Dolan, in the lower Court, contended, for the appellant, that the question had not been properly argued before the Arbitration Court, that appellant, being an infant, was absolutely precluded in law from making a contract which was not for hie benefit, and that the criterion to be applied in investigating whether the contract was for his.benefit or not was the awar.l scale. The Magistrate found for respondent Company, holding that the infant's bargain for a reduced wage hound him. His Honor the Chief Justioe, in reserving judgment, stated that the appeal was a most important one, affeoting the whole working of the Arbitration Act, and that he would deliver judgment on his return from Napier. Dr Findlay (instructed by Messrs Bunny and Dolan, Masterton) appeared for the appellant, and Mr Herdman (instructed by Messrs Smith and MoSherry, Pahiatua) for the defendant Company.

CABLE. NEWS.

By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright.