STAYING AWAY FROM WORK.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LII, Issue 200, 20 August 1918, Page 8

STAYING AWAY FROM WORK.

LIGHT ON ANhOBJECTTONABLE v/--"-':.-■■' PRACTICE.

A case of unusual' interest was heard in-, the Dunedin Magistrate's Court. ■when .Malcolm Stevenson (contractor) etied William George Bate man Stanley (carter) for' £2 damages, for breach of contract. Counsel for plaintiff said that the caste was brought for the purpose of having an objectionable .practice stop pedJ It appeared that some carters had formed." the habit of stopping away foi a day whenever they felt like' it. The excuse was generally tliat of sickness. but xisually the real cause was that they liked* having a holiday, or that they went on a drinking bout, The : employers were consequently inconvenienced. In the case in question plain--tiff had. gone to defendant's house to, ascertain the cause of his absence, but had got no satisfactory explanation. a further visit with an Inspector of Factories being resultless also. Action was then' taken. Counsel added that the drivers' award provided; for a weett s. notice on either side, and also for regular ■work, by the-employee unless absence •was caused through sackness. ' Defendant advanced as the .-reason for his..not going to work that day that the •water-pipes were frozen, and he could not get any breakfast, and that he was not going to shovel coal until he vhad had a meal. He also declared that ."no man could compel him to work tor. Stevenson." . ." The Magistrate, in giving judgmun. -aid the agreement regulated the contract of service. There were duties, a*, well as rights on either side. It w.uv clear that defendant ■ had been a bread! of the agreement, and the exctuto- put forward could) not be Liken seriously. It was not a genuine excuse Sdtt «as surprising that Save been made. In view of the tact that defendant was a workman and was S,x into camp shortly and that the Stiff daf.not VKte lor damages, would bo given for 10s dam,. "■RStfi notified that he .would- not SSftaSSi Kdealt w with him. in the circumstance. ___