PAYMENT OF WAGES

Evening Post, Volume CXI, Issue 73, 27 March 1931, Page 11

PAYMENT OF WAGES

QUESTION UNDER AWARD

A Magistrate's decision in connection with a prosecution brought under tho Wellington Plasterers' Award, that unless otherwise, arranged tho ordinary rule that tho debtor (the employer) must seek out his creditor (the worker) would apply, was under consideration in tho Arbitration Court yesterday afternoon. The Court dismissed an appeal, brought by ft. Bushby, master plasterer, of Lower Hutt, on whom a penalty of £5 had been imposed for a breach of the award, but.held that tho rulo stated by the Magistrate, did not apply to the payment of. wages, insofar aa the place of payment was concerned. It would bo ridiculous, raid Mr. Justice Fruzcr, to apply the common law rulo regarding tho ordinary trade debts to awards. An employer might have thousands of men working for him, and any ono of them could leave without giving his address, and the employer would be penalised for not paying the wages within 24 hours of tho termination of the work. In tho case in question the employer had had 24 hours' grace, and had refused to pay (lie wages after a legitimate demand. There, was no justification for the wages being withheld until some weeks after the worker had left Bushby's employ. Mr. !•'. W. Ongloy " appeared for Bush by, and Mr. ,T. 'McHzcr, with lii'm Mr. R. O. R. Clarke, for the union.