BASIC WAGE

Grey River Argus, 14 March 1940, Page 4

BASIC WAGE

Paid to Clerk SUIT FOR AWARD RATE. WELLINGTON, March 12. The Full Court was engaged today in hearing the case of Arthur Bruce Wilson, of Culverden, a clerk', against Dalgety and Company, Ltd. The defendant company opened a branch agency at Culverden in 1937, in response to requests -from clients, stocking general merchandise and farmers’ requirements, and a small supply of groceries. The company does not cater for or supply the general public apart from its own particular clients, and only a relatively small percentage of the retail business of the defendant company consists of the supply of groceries to farmer clients.

The plaintiff, Wilson, was formerly in the employ of the company on the West Coast as- a clerk, and was transferred to Culverden in 1937, when he was 20 years of age. His status while in the defendant company’s employ was regarded by himself and the company as being that of a clerk, including, his clerical work in connection with the groceries. The percentage of time spent by him in dealing with groceries in proportion to the whole of his duty would have been between 2 and 3 per cent, of his working time from July 30, 1938, to December 31, 1939, Plaintiff, who attained the age of 21 years on July 30 • 1938, was paid the basic wage of £3 16s a week. The total amount paid by the defendant company to the plaintiff for wages in respect of the period in question was £298 18s Bd. The plaintiff contends that he was entitled to be paid at the rate of £5 2s 6d per week, pursuant to the Northern, Wellington, Westland, Canterbury, and Otago and Southland retail grocers’ assistants and drivers’ award and that he should accordingly have received the sum of £412 3s 2d for wages during the period.

The plaintiff’s claim is for the difference in the amount paid and the amount he contends he should have been paid, viz £ll3 4s 6d. The principle involved in the case is regarded, as important, and the

hearing was removed into the Full Court, which will be asked to review a series of decisions of the Court of Arbitration to the effect that even slight employment on a weekly basis overrides all other considerations in other awards.