APPRENTICES AND THEIR WAGES.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 188, 4 May 1908, Page 4

APPRENTICES AND THEIR WAGES.

———frr — PAYMENT FOR HOLIDAYS. (BY TELEGRAPH. —PRESS ASSOCIATION.) Auckland, May 1. At the Arbitration Court this aftemoo roceodings wore taken against a number c rms for failing to pay apprentices for hoi ays. . Mr. Shanaghan, Inspector of Award: tatpd that tho praetico ' among Aucklan ngineers, for a considerable timo past ha ieen to deduct payment for holidays froi pprentices' wages after the apprentices ha ttained the age of 18 years. It was claime hat these youths, being in receipt of reoltly wage for a fixed period, were 01 itled to payment for statutory holidays ui jss lost by, their own default. Ho quoted ecision by Mr. Justice Cooper in support. Mr. M'Gregor, appearing on respondent; ohalf, stated that tho apprentices in quel ion wcro not indentured in writing, but wei imply taken on as apprentices under tli ward. It had been the custom-in tho trad or many l years not to pay wages to apprci ices or any other workers for holidays n< rorkod. When the Factories Act came in( peration, however, this custom had to I lodificd. As showing that the praetico w; rovalont in.Auckland he mentioned tin hoso employers charged were practically a i tho trado in 'Auckland who wcro doin usiness on a largo scale. His (Honour remarked that it was tho fin ime ho had heard of reductions being mac i tho wages of apprentices. Mr. M'Gregor: Tho practico prevails in tl: outh. His Honour doubted this, saying neither 1 or Mr. Brown had heard of it before. Tho Court reserved its decision.