ANZAC DAY WAGES

Greymouth Evening Star, 23 July 1923, Page 2

ANZAC DAY WAGES

“UNDESIRABLE SITUATION.’ (Per Press Association). AUCKLAND July 22. The Arbitration Court has given its judgment on the question of whether wages must be paid for Anzac Day under the award, being an appeal by’ the Inspector of Awards against a Alagistrate’s decision, in a case against the Federal Boot Company’ of Wellington. The Alagistrate held that Anzac Day, being a Sunday, and wages being computed under the award on an hourly basis, the defendants were not bound to pay journeymen for Anzac Day, and could deduct the amount of that day’s wages, judgment being given for the defendant. Air. Justice Frazer said that Anzac Day was not included in the schedule of holidays to be recognised as such under Clause 9 of the awards, and, by law, that day’ was required to be observed as a Sunday, and not as a holiday’, and it did not come within the holiday provisions in an award. AVhile, in the absence of a special provision in an award, no deduction in respect to Anzac Day or a holiday could be made from the weekly wages payable to -weekly workers. Apart from the provision of the Factories Act, there was nothing in the Award, or elsewhere to prohibit deductions being made from their wages in respect of holidays. AVhile in the case of Anzac Day there was no prohibition at all against time lost being deducted from their weekly earnings, the effect of the legislation was that hourly and weekly’ workers lose wages for that day except in cases where the provisions of the Factories Act, or an award of the court, required those to be paid in full. AVhile weekly workers, in the absence of any’ provision in the award permitting deductions to bo made, do not lose wages in respect of Anzac Day, it was an undesirable situation, for unless remedied by legislation, it would lead to Anzac Day becoming a bone of contention between two classes of workers. If Anzac Day was observed on Sunday, this difficulty would not occur. The court’s opinion was that the Alagistrate’s judgment was sound in law. The appeal must fail. Being a test case no costs were allowed.