BREACH OF AWARD.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 53, Issue 285, 13 September 1933, Page 8

BREACH OF AWARD.

FINE IMPOSED ON STOREKEEPER. (Per Press Association). WELLINGTON, September 12. A penalty of £1 xws imposed on A. E. Chamberlain in the Magistrate's Court for a breach of the Grocers' Assistants Award. The Inspector of Awards claimed a penalty of £lO, alleging that Chamberlain had employed in his shop two youths and only one senior, whereas the award stipulated that there had to be more than three fully-paid senior assistants before two youths could be employed. Counsel for defendant, said that Chamberlain engaged a second youth mainly for the boy's own benefit. When it was pointed out that this was a breach of the award, he was willing to dismiss the boy,'but an inspector told him to retain the boy until he heard further from him. Later Chamberlain's brother took over the management of the- shop, and the inspector drew his attention to 'the fact that he was employing two boys when he was entitled to have only one. His brother saw Mr Wakelin, district officer in charge of the Labour Department, and Mr Wakelin advised him to keep the two boys until further notice. If there was a breach it was only a technical one. "It seems a great pity that employers trying to help youths should bo harrassed by this class of prosecution," said counsel. Mr W. F. Stilwell, S.M., said he was satisfied a breach had been committed: He said he was somewhat disturbed by the admission that one of the boys had been paid as a junior on the assurance of Mr Wakelin that no prosecution would have followed, even though it was still illegal to employ two boys. /