SHIFTING TIME

Evening Post, Volume CXV, Issue 138, 14 June 1933, Page 9

SHIFTING TIME

THRESHING-MIL? AWARD ; *AN APPARENT LOOPHOLE"

■ ' {By Telegraph.—Press Association.) CHBISTCHUBCH,' June 13. An action to obtain an interpretation lof the award was brought in the Arbitration Court today by ,the inspector of awards,.'who claimed £10 from Harry Jeans Co'nway, threshing mill proprietor,- for alleged breach of an award concerning payment for shifting time'to threshing mill workers. Tho defendant's contention was that the award provided for payment for shifting timq from set to set on tho farm for any period exceeding fifteen minutes. Tho i)opartment's claim was that payment must-be niade for all shifting time, including movement from farm to farm and travelling on roads. Mr. C. S. Thomas; counsel for the defendant; said that men on tho mill Lad been paid only for shifting time from set to set on the farm, and had been, perfectly content.' The interpretation which tho Department sought to put on tho award was never intended hy either side when negotiations were in progress for a new'award. Now union officials, discovering■'"an apparent loophole in the award, made this attempt to ge^ more wages. It < "was ■ simply, a trick claim. He declared that it was dishonest. '' Mr. Justice Frazer said that the. Court' had no power to rectify an error in the agreement, but only to interpret '■the clause as it stood. The Court was compelled to tho conclusion that shift- ; ing time meant any time spent in shifting, whether from set to set on the farm i fir from farm to farm. His Honour ] said- he would impose no penalty. j