A Saddler Cited.

Otautau Standard and Wallace County Chronicle, Volume I, Issue 19, 5 September 1905, Page 2

A Saddler Cited.

At the Arbitration Court, on luesday last, beforeMr Justice Chapman and Messrs Brown and Slater (assessors), F. A. Cole, saddler, of Winton, was charged by the^ Inspector of Factories with employing two men, named ■ Castles and Wilson, at less than the* wages stipulated m the agreement. v Mr Macalister, who appeared for;' respondent, urged that Cole had* 1 * never been cited and had had no/;intimation that he was a party m. the- r agreement. \ The Clerk of the Court said that he had sent the usual notifications to J. R. Cole, Winton, by registered letter, and they had been accepted by someone at the Winton Post Office. F. A. Cole gave evidence that he • had been m business m Winton for twenty yeais. He told Mr Browett, Inspector of Factories, that he had never been cited, and that he was not awate of the existence of an award or agreement. He had received no official notices. In answer to Mr Browett, respondent said he had been invited to join the Master Saddlers' Association but had taken no notice of the invitation for private reasons. The Inspector said the receipt for a registered letter had been signed by a person named Knight, who, he thought, was m respondent's employ some time back. His Honour stated that if respondent's servant signed for the letter it might be some evidence that the letter had reached the shop. In too many instances official notices were thrown into the fire and their contents forgotten. The respondent stated that he and his employees worked m one room, and if a registered letter had come into the shop either Castles or Wilson would have seen it. It was decided that the case be adiourned until the afternoon, when the receipt for the registered letter would be forthcoming. The Chief Postmaster at Invereargill produced the receipt for a registered letter forwarded by the Clerk of Awards to J. R. Cole, Winton. A person named Knight had signed for it. The respondent said he would not j swear that the signature had been written by a lad formerly employed by bim. Evidence re wages was given by F W. Castles and F. C. Wilson. Mr Macalister pointed out that Cole i had made correct returns each year as to wages paid, etc., and Mr Browett said that the Department could not always tell from the returns that employees were being underpaid. The case was adjourned till Ihursday, when Knight would be m attendance. On the Court reassembling, Wm. Knight, who had formerly been iri respondent's employ, deposed that he could not identify the signature on the receipt for the registered letter. The Court dismissed the case, allowing two guineas costs on the first charge, a guinea on each- of two others, and witnesses' expenses. .1 he Judge further ordered that the strictest inquiries should be made as to the identity of the person who re- . ceived the registered letter.