RATES OF WAGES

Manawatu Standard, Volume LVIII, Issue 15, 15 December 1937, Page 5

RATES OF WAGES

AGRICULTURAL WORKERS. Per Press Association. WELLINGTON, Dec. 14. The rates of Avages payable to agricultural workers were explained by the Minister of Labour (Hon. H. T. Armstrong) in a statement issued this evening. He said that, from numerous inquiries made from himself and officers of tlie Labour Department, -it would appear that there Avas considerable confusion in the minds of many people in regard to the Avages of these workers.

The Minister said that, by Order-in-Council dated November 10, 1937, the following new scale of wages ivas fixed for agricultural workers employed on dairy farms: Under the age of 17 years, 18s 6d per week; of the age of 17 years but under 18, £1 4s; of the age of 18 years hut under 19, £1 9s; of the age of 19 years but under 20, £1 14s 6d; of the age of 20 years but under 21, £1 19s 6d; of the age of 21 years and upward, £2 ss. Where board and lodgings are not pro\ _ ided, an additional 17s 6d per week should be added in ea.ch ease. This order operated from November 1, 1937, and is to continue in force until July 31, 1938, and thereafter . until a further Order-iii-Council is made fixing rates of pay. “From the wording of the Order-in-Council it would'appear that the rates apply only to Avorkers on dairy farms,” added Mr Armstrong, “but by the provision of the Agricultural AVorkers’ Extension Orders, 1937, Nos. 2 and 3, the new rates of pay for Avorkers on dairy farms are made applicable also to agriculture and pastoral Avorkers employed on farms and stations used for the commercial production of wool, meat and/or grain (including seed), but they do not apply to those Avorkers, such a.s shearers and threshing-mill workers, whose conditions of employment are laid down in awards or industrial agreements under the Industrial Conciliation and Arbitration Act, 1925, and its amendments.

“In short, the new rates quoted above are payable to agricultural Avorkers employed on dairy farms and on farms and stations used for the production of wool, meat and/or grain (including

seed), but excluding those workers coming under awards and industrial agreements. These rates are as agreed upon between representatives of the Farmrs’ Union and myself.”