HARD TO DETECT.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVII, Issue 236, 5 October 1936, Page 9

HARD TO DETECT.

AWARD RATE NOT PAID MILK VENDORS FINED. COMMENT BY MAGISTRATE. Claiming that a breach of the award had been committed, the inspector of awards, Mr. G. F. Grieve, in the Magistrate's Court this morning, before Mr. Wyvern Wilson, S.M., prosecuted J. I. Griffiths and J. K. Griffiths, trading as Griffiths and Sons, milk vendors. The inspector said tiie defendants engaged a man at £2 per week last October, the award wage at the time being £3 17/ C, but it was later increased to £4 2/0. The worker in question was induced to sign the wages book for £4 2/0, whereas he only received £2 per week. "This sort of offence is particularly hard to detect," said Mr. Grieve- "One of the partners was employed by a milk firm, and had also for a while been an inspector for the Milk Council." Mr. Webb, who represented the defendants, said that when his ciimts bought the round the worker was being paid fl 10/ per week. They raised his j wages to £2 weekly. The awara provided for a 48-liour week, but the man in question worked only 24 hours per week, so that on an hourly basis lie was adequately paid. He worked during the day at a wood and coal business. As far as one of his client's connection with the Milk Council was concerned, that had nothing to do with wages or conditions. "I am told there, has been an admixture of charity and necessity," said Mr. Wyvern Wilson. "I don't believe it. Charity should begin at home. They should pay the employee the award wage. I don't believe it was charity. It was out of the spirit of economy that they kept this man on because he was cheap. The serious part is the fraudulent entry to hide the position. A line of £5 wiil be imposed."