AN INACCURATE ENTRY.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLIX, Issue 15174, 13 December 1912, Page 5

AN INACCURATE ENTRY.

ASSISTANT BUTCHER'S WAGES

EMPLOYER FINED £12. if

A warn'ixu to tradesmen that they must make correct entries in all their books was given at the Magistrate's Court yesterday by Mr. C. C. Kettle, S.M., when inflicting lines amounting to £12 on D., , lieid, a teller who was charged with having made a false entry in his wages' book, also with having employed a worker at a. wage less than that, specified bv the butchers' award.

The facts adduced were that the defendant had employed an assistant named Craddoek, who could not now be found, as 2,ti assistant butcher at a weekly wage of £2 5s a. week, instead of £2 10s a week, as required under the butchers' award. '

Mr. Towle, who appeared for the defendant. pleaded guilty on behalf of his client.

For the defence it was stated that Craddock had petitioned defendant for a light position, owing to % physical infirmity, and had been found employment at £2 5s a week on the understanding that he should get a permit as an under-rate worker. It was alleged that Craddoek had informed defendant that the secretary of tho Butchers' Union had granted him an under-rate workers' permit and had told him that he could work for £2 5s a week, provided that £210 a were entered in tho wages' book as his wages. Tho defendant stated that he had not communicated with the secretary of the union, but had accepted Craddock's assurance that ho had been granted a permit and that it was essential that £2 10s should bo entered as his wages in tho wages' book. The magistrate, before giving judgment, said the circumstances surrounding the case were. ugly. If there was not a doubt .in his mind that defendant had acted as ho had done in good faith, lie would have inflicted a very heavy penaltv. As it was he must emphasise the necessity for tradesmen to make correct entries in all their books. If falee entries were allowed to be made, there was no knowing where matters would end, and the Court -would not be able to say who was risjht and who was wrong in such cases as the one before the Court.

Defendant was fined £10 and costs on the charge of having made a false entry in his wages' book, and on tho charge of having employed an assistant at a wage less than that required by the butchers' award ho was fined £2 and costs.

The magistrate instructed the inspector of awards to endeavour to have Cr ad dock brought to justice.