SHAREMILKER’S ALLEGED BONUS CLAIM FAILS

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 14, Issue 74, 9 December 1949, Page 5

SHAREMILKER’S ALLEGED BONUS CLAIM FAILS

* Judgment for defendant with costs was awarded Douglas Allen, farmer,, by Mr E. L. Walton, S.M., in the Whakatane Magistrate’s Court on Tuesday against Hector Joseph Campbell, sharemilker, who claimed £lO7 Is 7d, being the. balance of a flat bonus of £250 alleged to have, been promised Campbell by defendant.

Mr L. Buddie appeared for Allen and Mr C. H. Chappell for plaintiff. In his claim Campbell alleged that when he applied for the job with defendant he had been offered a wage of £24 a week,, a Id per lb on butterfat and pigs and a flat bonus of £250 at the end of the year. He and his three sons were to work on the farm for these payments. He had first applied for the work because been advertised as sharemilking, but after he met defendant he ,was told the job was to be on wages. He had refused, but after talking it over with His wife had decided to accept the work because of a bonus of £250, which, he said, Allen had offered him as well as a position as a sharemilker the following year. He started work in June, 1947, but, in September had an accident wiiich had kept him off work for about six months.

Answering Mr Buddie he said he had received his wages in full during the~ time he was off work. Plaintiff said, that in February of this year Allen had offered him the job again with more wages and a higher bonus, as he could not afford sharemilking. He had refused and left the job in June. Defendant, Douglas Allen said that on several occasions cows had not been milked. Part of the herd was* sorpetimes missed. He denied that he had offered Campbell a guarapteed flat bonus of £250.

Although he had advertised the position as sharemilking he had decided not to employ Campbell in that capagity, but on wages because he had of the three sons working the farm. The boys did their best, but they were just not up to it. At no time had he offered the bonus.