WORK AND WAGES.

Evening Star, Issue 12870, 20 July 1906, Page 7

WORK AND WAGES.

Mr W. J. Culver, late organising secretary to the New Zealand Liberal and Labor Federation, has been appointed an inspector under the Factories Act, and will be stationed at Napier. In defending an Epsom carter named Thomas S. Hill, summoned before Mr Kettle, S.M., at Auckland, for neglecting to pay two employees their wages weekly, Mr J. R. Reed contended that the Workmen's Wages Act did not provide a penalty for a breach of the particular section dealing wtth payment of wages, the section being really to moke it clear that wages were due weekly. Mr Reed quoted an expression of opinion by Chief Justice Prendergast, in giving judgment in Cash v. Chaffer, as follows:—"l"think this Act (Workmen's Wages Act) was only intended to apply to a case where there are three .parties—-not necessarily before the Court—. but three parties concerned, an emplover or contractee, a contractor, and a working

man." Mr Kettle decided to dismiss tl: case, remarking that he could • not . against a decision of the Supreme Com .Leave to appeal was granted. Mr W. Pattison presided at the fori nightly meeting of the Trades Council la; night. The secretary was instructed t write to the secretaries of the variou; unions asking them to supply information as to the state of the labor market in theii respective trades, with' a view to having the same published.—lt was decided tc change the meeting night of the Counci. from Thursday to Wednesday.—A repo, was received from tbo Carnival Com mittee intimating that the balance fron. the recent carnival was about £l2O, ano the money was handed over to the Trade* Council to reduce the debt on the Trades Hall.—Resolutions were passed protestinp against tiho action of the City Council in refusing to the Tramways Union a room in the car sheds for an hour or two twice.a month for tho' purpose of collecting subscriptions; and against the action of the City Council in allowing portions of the Town Belt to be used by individuals for private purposes.