BAKERS' AWARD.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 600, 31 August 1909, Page 9

BAKERS' AWARD.

•QUESTION OF INTERPRETATION. The Arbitration Court at its sitting yesterday morning consisted of Mr. Justice Sim (president), .and..-Mr.; J. 'A. M'Cullougli (workers' representative). Mr. ]). M. Fimllay for tlio Inspector 67 Awards in "an application for interpretation 'of tlio AVeilingtoir Bakers' award. The application stated that the award fixes a weekly wage, and certain employers "fix hours of work at from 4 a.m. to 1 p.m. Short time is worked on one or two days of tho week, because less bread is' required on those days, or because the bakers get through their work a littles quicker on those days'. It has. for some years been tho custom (according to tho Inspector of Awards) to count such days as full days, and not to make any deduction on account of short tiimo. The question for interpretation was: can an employer set off tirno lost in this way against overtime worked on other days ? ' ' . Objection was taken by the Master Bakers' Association (JIr.,H. F. Allen) against the Court hearing the' application at present, on tho ground that it was not a full court (in the absence of an employers' representative), ana on the further ground that the matter had been before; a magistrate on an application for enforcement. The Court decided not to hear tho application until it was fully, constituted, but saw no objection to giving a general interpretation, although the matter had arisen in a special case before' a magistrate.