TRAVELLING ALLOWANCES

Greymouth Evening Star, 17 December 1940, Page 4

TRAVELLING ALLOWANCES

4, DUNEDIN DISPUTE SETTLED. [PER press association.] DUNEDIN, December 16. The settling of a dispute between the Government and the Dunedin City Council as to which was responsible for paying the travelling allowance of 2/6 per week to Scheme 13 workers, employed outside a mile and a-half radius of the Chief Post Office, will result, in those who have been in full-time employment since April last receiving a lump sum on Tuesday next of nearly £5. This sum

is equivalent to the payment of travelling allowance, retrospective to April. In future the allowance will not be paid, as an agreement has been reachedfor the' men to be paid for travelling time. In consequence, they will cease work for the ,day at 4 1 o’clock, instead of 4.30. 1 For the greater part, of this year a dispute has been , in progress between the Government. and the City Council as to the payment of travelling al- ; ■lowance to Scheme 13 workers em- i ployed, outside a mile and a-half j radius of the . Post Office. The Council contended 'that the Government was the employer, and as it had made.poi provision" for incidental expenses in j . employing the. men, the Government; should be responsible for the trav- i elling. allowance.- T b 'e \ Government ’ considered -that’as ■ the- Council xvas '.

receiving the benefit of the labour free of cost, it should at least pay the allowance. A conference of representatives of the workers’ union, the City Council, the Labour Department, the Placement. Officer, and a liason officer from Wellington, was held recently, and as a result the Government has now decided to be responsible for paying the allowance to the men who have been working in the area in question.