MR. MARTIN, R.M., AND THE "CURRENT RATE." TO THE EDITOR.

Evening Post, Volume L, Issue 54, 31 August 1895, Page 2 (Supplement)

MR. MARTIN, R.M., AND THE " CURRENT RATE." TO THE EDITOR.

Sm— Will you grant me space to express my surprise at the decision of our Resident Maeistrate as delivered by him in the case it Main v. ColemanP Regarding the oasf itself, the carpenter Main, as a matter oi course, put himself entirely out of Court by rerbally agreeing to work for eight shilling> 'or day at all, but where I join issue with ilr. Martin is in his assertion that "there iiio current rate." Sir, the mere fact thut Hun's employer found it necessary to •tipulate for the specific wago proves that ht-re was a certain wage (or current rate) inderstood in, and fixed by, the genera) luilding trade. That rate is freely admitted aud paid by all bona-fide builders, md if I may venture to respectfully suggest to Mr. Martin that he look up his "authorities," he will find that in all cases that have been dealt with in England, either before Magistrates or Judges, " the ourrent rate of wages and the custom of the trade " has always been admitted as the main evidence to be considered. Our R.M. also regrets the absence of any organisation capable of regulating wages, etc., as he could not recognise Unions and such like bodies in the matter. Why, sir, in all the large towns of Great Britain it is the Master and Employers' Associations, in oonjunotion with the Trades' Unions, that draw up the working rules governing the trade in all callings, but especially so in the building trade. The Master Builders' Association of Wellington has always worked in harmony with the workmen's Society, and its members freely recognised and paid the " current rate " which always has and " does now " exist in Wellington, Mr. Martin notwithstanding. Such a derision if let pass unchallenged would strike a severe blow at the best interests of the trade, and this must be my excuse for troubling you with these remarks. I trust our worthy Magistrate, with his generally-accepted sound judgment, will see his way to reconsider this important question, and admit, not only the existence of a ourrent rate, but also the legal status of the Employers' anfl Workmen's Associations. Thanking' you in anticipation, I am, &o , H. Wabneb, A.S.C.J.