FAULTY CLAUSE?

Auckland Star, Volume LXIX, Issue 223, 20 September 1938, Page 10

FAULTY CLAUSE?

DELETION APPLIED FOR.

"DIRT MONEY" PAYMENT. ~~~~~~ Claiming that there was a redundant provision relating to the payment gf "dirt money" in the current Oliinemuri and Waihi Engineers' Award, issued in December ln«t. tho Martha (Sold Mining Company (Waihi), Limited, made application in the Industrial Court to-day for an amendment of the award. Mr. J. A. fiilmonr. S.M.. presided.

Through Mr. R. (!. Million, the employers asked that the words "or underground* lie deleted from Clause 3, relating to "dirt money," of the award. The ground* upon which the application was made were that in one section of the award th* Court had fixed an extra payment of ]/(> a day for all journeymen employed on repair work underground, while in another section an extra 3d an hour was provided for similar work. The employers were prepared to pay either rate, but not both.

The union, through Mr. Rcdjrwell, con- ■ tended that the Court had meant both provisions to apply. The Court had no power to amend an award it was satisfied that a mistake had been made in drafting it. and that all parties were df«irou* that it should be reviewed.

Mr. fJilmour said the Court had power to amend any award if it was satisfied that a mistake had been made. He stated that he would reserve hi« decision until he could obtain from Wellington the papers from which the award was drafted.