ARBITRATION COURT.

Press, Volume LXIV, Issue 13105, 2 May 1908, Page 10

ARBITRATION COURT.

(PEEBS ASSOCIATION TELEGHAM.) AUCKLAND, May 1. At the Arbitration Court this afternoon proceedings wor*> taken against a number of firms for failing to pay apprentices for holidays. Mt Shanaghan, Inspector of Awards, stated that the practice among Auckland engineers for a considerable time past- had been to deduct payment for liolidays from apprentices after they had attained the age of 18 years. It ■was claimed that the youths being in receipt of a weekly -wage for a fixed period, were entitled to payment for statutory holidays. He quoted a decision by Mr Justice Cooper in support. Mr McGregor, -who appeared on the respondents' behalf, stated that the apprentices in question were not indentured in writing, but were simply taken on as apprentices under the award. It had been the custom in the trade for many years not to pay wages to apprentices or any other workers for holidays net worked. When the Factories Act came into operation, howover, this custom had to be modified. As showing that tho practice was prevalent in Auckland, he mentioned that those charged we-ro practically all in tho trade in Auckland who were doing business on a largo scale.

His Honour remarked that it was the first time he has heard of reductions being made in the wages of apprentices. . 3lr McGregor: Thofractdce prevails in the south.

His Honour doubted this, saying that neither he nor Mr Brown had heard of it before.

Tho Court reserved its decision.