FARM WORKERS

Wairarapa Times-Age, 2 August 1938, Page 6

FARM WORKERS

IMPORTANT RULING GIVEN BY MAGISTRATE EFFECT OF THE HOLIDAY PROVISION. NOT APPLICABLE TO CASUAL EMPLOYEES. (By Telegraph—Press Association.) PALMERSTON NORTH, This Day. Reserved judgment was delivered by Mr J. L. Stout, S.M., in what is' believed to be one of the first cases of its kind under the Agricultural Workers Act. Proceedings were brought by the Inspector of Factories against Thomas Richard Saunders, farmer of Glen Oroua, who was charged that, being an employer within the meaning of the Act he had failed to allow a proportion of the annual holiday (on the full money wage paid), prescribed in the Agricultural Workers Extension Order, 1937, No. 2, to Edward Smith, an agricultural worker, who since the order came into force had completed a period of employment of less than twelve months but more than three months on the farm. “I am of opinion that the employee was not entitled to the holidays provided in Section 15 (1) of the extension order, 2937,” states the magistrate, “The worker was not, in my opinion, continuously employed. He was paid as a casual hand, although the work was sufficient to keep him employed five or six days a week. He did not work on Sundays and was paid in accordance with the hours he worked at an hourly wage, as fixed for casual workers. The Act, in my opinion, does not contemplate holidays for casual workers, but only for workers employed continuously for seven days in a week and paid a -weekly wage. I, therefore, dism : "" +li e information.”