CHARGES AGAINST BUILDER

Press, Volume LXXXIV, Issue 25448, 20 March 1948, Page 6

CHARGES AGAINST BUILDER

MEN PAID ABOVE AWARD RATE DEFENCE ALLEGES THREAT BY UNION OFFICIALS (P.A.) WELLINGTON, March 19. The claim that an increase in payments to carpenters had been made by a builder because of threats issued by Carpenters’ Union officials was made to-day by Mr S. G. Stephenson, appearing for John Thomas Hogan, a builder and contractor, of Wellington, in the Magistrate’s Court. Mr Stephenson submitted that when the builder employed carpenters he was entitled to pay them as much as 3d or 6d above the award rates, provided tie notified the Wages Commissioner. •. _ . . Five informations were laid against Hogan by the Inspector of Factories, for allegedly paying carpenters above the basic rate without the approval of the Wages Commissioner. Mr W. R. Birks, prosecuting, said that in February, defendant was employing 16 carpenters, a foreman and an apprentice. The charges were laid concerning the week ending February 24, when six of the carpenters ■ in Hogan’s employ were paid 3s BJd an hour. The prosecution claimed that the extra 1-ld was the sum that was irrecoverable under the Economic Stabilisation Regulations, and in paying it defendant committed an offence. Mr Stephenson, for the defendant, said that if any offence had been committed, it was in defendant’s failure to notify the Wages Commissioner within one week that he had increased the pay to five workers by IJd. It was defendant’s practice to pay his workers .more than the award rate once they satisfied him and proved themselves. Defendant had already suffered five days under the go-slow policy before making the increase. However the fact that he had made the payments under illegal compulsion did not affect the validity of the payments. The Magistrate (Mr J. H. Thompson) said that a number of unusual points had been raised, and he reserved his decision.