MUSTERING WORK

Press, Volume LXXXI, Issue 24614, 10 July 1945, Page 6

MUSTERING WORK

FARMERS HELPING NEIGHBOURS LIABILITY TO JOIN UNION ARGUED (P.A.) DUNEDIN, July 9. The liability of a farmer to join the New Zealand Workers’ Union when assisting a neighbouring farmer in mustering work at award rates of wages was argued in the Magistrate's Court before Mr H. W. Bundle, S.M., when the inspector of awards claimed a penalty from Alec Heckler, a farmer, of Waikouaiti, for a breach of the Musterers’, Shearers’, and Drovers’ Award in that he failed to become a member of the union. After hearing evidence the Magistrate referred the matter to the Arbitration Court by way of a case stated. Mr C. H. Hoskin appeared for the Labour Department and Mr E. J. Anderson for the defendant. Robert Mclntyre, secretary of the New Zealand Workers’ Union, said he visited Tumai station on January 28. Heckler was working there as a musterer. He was not a member, of the union and refused to Join. To Mr Anderson the witness said that Heckler said that if he put a union man on he would walk off. If he was a iarmer helping a neighbour, and not receiving wages, he would not be asked to join the union. George Charles Augustine, an Inspector of awards, said the station records showed that Heckler had been paid for 15 days’ work, at £1 3s 6d a day. The department submitted that as Heckler had received wages he was liable to become a member of the union. , . Mr Anderson said Heckler had never been employed substantially by farmers doing mustering work. He had been turned down for military service in 1940, and he had since endeavoured to assist farmers through the labour shortage. He operated his own farm of 500 acres. The case was adjourned sine die pending a decision from the Arbitration Court.