BREACH OF AWARD

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLV, Issue 289, 10 November 1925, Page 8

BREACH OF AWARD

FINES TOTAL £ls

On the information of the Inspector of Factories, Mr Joseph Lowden, Alfred John Robinson, a butcher, was charged at the Magistrate’s Court to-day with failing to keep a wages and time book in respect to branch shops at Paekakariki and Paraparaumu. One charge was withdrawn and a plea of guilty entered in respect to tho other charge. The Inspector of Factories also claimed from defendant a £lO penalty for an alleged broach of the Wellington industrial .butchers’ award in that, between June 18 and August 15, he did employ J. Lemon as first shopman and did allegedly fail to pay him £5 17s 6d a week the award wage, and a similar penalty with respect to W. Noble, employed as second shopman, and who was allegedly paid £5, instead of £5 5s weekly. Mr Cooper appeared for defendant. fJoseph Lemon, in evidence, said that defendant employed him in June last to manage the Paekakariki branch, definitely stating that he was to have complete charge. There were many weeks subsequently when defendant did not put in an appearance. Witness was not paid regularly; sometimes he just helped himself from the takings. He was never paid according to tho clause in the award which states that the weekly wage must be paid before the closing hour. Over 10 weeks he had received £35 10s in wages. He considered he was £22 19s short. To Mr Cooper, witness stated that three days after ho left defendant’s employ lie wrote claiming wages of £5 17s 6d a week, the award' wage, which was agreed on when the arrangement was made. Witness denied that he had ever agreed to accept £5; lie would not have gone from Levin to Paekakariki for less than the award wage.

Joseph Lowden, inspector of facfactories, in evidence, said he interviewed defendant, who stated that the wages book was in his pocket at Paekakariki and admitted that lie was not paying Lemon the required wage. His arrangement with Lemon was to pay a salary of £5 a week as a carter on three days of the week for five hours, and to look after the Paekakariki shop at times. After hearing defendant’s evidence, which was a denial of Lemon’s statement and that he considered himself first shopman, His Worship stated that defendant could not he allowed to be first shopman in both shops. The department had allowed him that in liis Paraparaumu business, but Lemon must be regarded as first shopman in the other. With regard to Noble, his position seemed to be similar to that of Lemon, and he must be considered as second shopman. A fine of £5 on each of the three charges was inflicted.