MILKMEN'S WAGES.

Auckland Star, Volume XLIX, Issue 228, 24 September 1918, Page 7

MILKMEN'S WAGES.

(To the Kdltor.) \ Sir, —A statement which. I quoted in my last letter turns out to have been incorrect. I quoted a case of a married man drawing an average wage of about ii f2 13/6 per week through the winter. , It was probably true at the time when I' made. Subsequent payment of commis- . sion and sums other than he had a strict legal claim to, have raised that average. By the courtesy of the firm who employed him I was shown the wages book, where he and his wife had signed for a total payment of £31 12/1 for the 77 days that he was employed. Of this time there were three days lost for eick- ' ness and four days stopped from working by the employer, making an average of 8/2J per day over the whole period, or ' 9/0 1-8 per working day. The present : award wage is £2 10/-, plus 20 per cent on all sums above fl6 per week cash for 1 milk, and 5 per cent oh payments for • butter, cream or eggs. All above this ' depends upon the caprice of the employer. 1 there are plenty of rounds where the ! weekly average payments do not exceed ' £16 cash, and for all above £2 the worker ' has to accept as the employer's generosity '- dictates if there is no agreement for a * higher wage than' the minimum.—l am. : etc., E. J. B. ALLEN.