UNDER-RATE WORKERS.

Evening Post, Volume LXIX, Issue LXIX, 8 March 1905, Page 3

UNDER-RATE WORKERS.

Sonu> lime a£<> «v published an extract from n, letter by " Nemesis" on the underlain clause, in tho Nelson carpenters' award ; also somo comments by Mr. Mnckay, of tho Labour Depart incut, on mailers referred to in tho loiter. Therein Mr. Mackay differed with " Nemesis," particularly in the hitter's conclusion that under this under- rut o claiuso " nny workman whatever can apply for a ' pcnn.it,' whethor ho hns previously worked at, tho trade or not." In a letter published in Saturday's Supplement, "Nemesis" returns to tho charge, nnd rolios largely on, the reasons giveu by the President of the Court in connection with tho award. Mr. Mackay, interviewed by a Post reporter, contends that neither tho clause nor tho reasons bear out "Nemesis's" contention. In his "reasons" the President, says: " The expression ' workor ' in UAcd in place of 'journeyman' or 'tradosman' (in the under-rato clause), because in. dealing with applications for permit* too narrow a construction hns at times been plnccd upon theso expressions, and a permit to work for a lower wngo linn been refused because the applicant, wn.s not a journeyman who had l>ccomo slow through age or intinnily, but was a man who had never thoroughly learned his Inulo. Whilo the Court hn-s itHolf recognised that such men arc journeymen, though imperfectly trained journeymen, it has thought it. host so to word the clause as lo lenvu it clearly open to tho Chairman or other appointee of tho Court to hold such persons to bo within the intention of tho nwnrd." In Mr. Mackay's viow, these words amount to this : In tho pn.st tho custom of the unions has been to hold thnt permits can be granted to fully qualified tradesmen who have become unable to cam the minimum wage, through accident or nge, but not to those who hnvo beon tumble to earn it through being slow workers. A nwn might hnvo served his time, and yet, through some mental or other disability, might bo a slow worker. To mako it clear that a pormit is not confined to tho former narrow limits, tho Court uses the word " worker " in plnco of " journeyman " or "tradesman," but this docs not mean that any workor outside tho trade may apply for a permit to work at an muler-rate.