PAY ON ANZAC DAY

Evening Post, Volume CVI, Issue 6, 7 July 1923, Page 8

PAY ON ANZAC DAY

CASE ON APPEAL.

In an oral judgment in the Wellington Magistrate's Court recently, Mr. F. X.; Hunt, S.M., decided' that Anzac Day being a Sunday, and the wages of New Zealand .female boot operatives being computed on an hourly h»sis, the employer was not bound to pay journeywomen for Anzac Day, and could deduct from the week's wages the amount of the day's wages. This decision was' questioned before the Arbitration Court this morning, when the Labour Department appealed against the decision. The respondent was the Federal Boot Company. ■ •■■...

The facts were that the journeywomen w;ere employed under the award conditions, and did not work on Anzac Day, arid were not paid any wages for that day. The question involved was whether wages must be paid on Anzao Day' and with the object of gaining a decision on this point the Labour Department proceeded against the company for breach of award. Counsel for the company submitted that the day was in all respects a Sunday, that the award provided for a 44-hour week, computed by the hour, and that accordingly deductions in wages.were permissable and were not prohibited. The appeal before tlvj Arbitration- Court was on the question of law. Mr. R. T. Bailey represented the Labour Department, and <r \ G- w?tsQn the company. Mr. Watson said any decision would only affect awards similarly«worded and would not deal with the eenerri! question. The Department had previously proceeded under the Act, and on having had an adverse judgment had decided not to appeal. Decision was reserved.