FARM WORKERS

Dominion, Volume 30, Issue 175, 21 April 1937, Page 8

FARM WORKERS

Effect of Last Year’s Act PROVISIONS SET OUT A good deal of misconception appears to exist concerning the provisions of the Agricultural Workers’ Act, 193 G, and a number of letters have been received by “The Dominion” asking for information on different clauses of the Act. An explanation of the provisions of the Act was issued by the Labour Department shortly after it was passed. According to this, “agricultural worker” means a person employed for any jieriod exceeding one week in agricultural or horticultural or pastoral or flax-milling or saw-milling work of any kind, but does not include a shearer within the meaning of the Shearers’ Accommodation Act, 1919, or any person who is being trained at any institution established for the training of agricultural workers, or any apprentice who is bound by an indenture of apprenticeship made under the Master and Apprentice Amendment Act, 1920. “Dairy-farm” means a farm on which not less than 10 cows are ordinarily kept and from which milk or cream is sold or otherwise disi»sed of in the course of business. An Order-iu-Couucil was Gazetted on April 15 extending the provisions of the Act to apply to agricultural and pastoral workers employed on farms and stations used for the commercial production of wool, meat and/or grain (excluding seed) other than those so employed who are covered by the provisions of an award or industrial agreement under the Industrial Conciliation and Arbitration Act, 1925, and its amendments. Rates of Pay. The schedule relating to rates of pay sets out that every worker shall be entitled to receive from his employer payment for his work at such rate as is agreed upon, being not less than: Under 17, 17/6 a week; 17 and under 18, £l/2/6; 18 and under 19, £l/7/6: 19 and under 20, £l/12/6; 20 and under 21, £l/17/6; 21 and over, £2/2/6. These rates shall be payable from the first day of next month, until other rates of wages for workers on dairyfarms are fixed and in force for any period subsequent to July 31, 1937, in accordance with section 14 (3) of the

Act, and thereafter the rates shall be from time to time replaced by the respective rates so fixed or otherwise in force for workers on dairy-farms, provided that in the case of workers of 21 years of age and upward such substituted rate shall not exceed £2/5/- a week. In the case of any married couple where the wife is employed as a cook or in connection with the operations of the farm or station, the wages of the wife shall be such rate as is agreed upon between the employer and the worker. Where any dispute arises as to the rates of wages to be paid the rates shall be determined by the Inspector of Factories. No charge shall be made for board and lodging provided for workers by their employers. In the case of any worker who is not provided with board and lodging by his employer his wages shall be increased by 17/6 a week. No deduction shall be made from the wages payable to any worker in respect of time lost by him except for time lost by reason of the default of the worker, or by reason of his illness or of any accident suffered by him. The wages paid to any worker at the date of coming into force of the order shall not be reduced, and any employer who makes any such reduction in the wages payable shall be deemed to have committed a breach of section 18 of the Act. Casual Workers.

The following rates of pay are fixed for casual workers: — Harvesters: 2/- an hour with rations. Other workers: Found, 1/S an hour; not found, 2/- an hour. By the day: Found, 13/4; not found, 16/-. Xoutha up to 18 years: Found, 1/- an hour; not found, 1/3 an hour. By the day: Found, 8/-; not found, 10/-. If any agricultural worker satisfies an inspector that, by reason of infirmity arising from old age or other cause, he is incapable of earning wages at the appropriate minimum rate, the inspector may from time to time grant him a permit to accept wages at such lower rate as may be specified in the permit. A permit granted to any agricultural worker shall continue in force for the period specified in the permit; and while it continues in force the rate of wages shall be deemed to be the minimum rate of wages prescribed in respect of that worker. The Act provides that no child under the age of 15 years shall be employed for hire or reward as an agricultural worker on any dairy farm, though this will not apply to any child under 15 employed at the passing of the Act