A SEAMAN'S OVERTIME.

New Zealand Herald, Volume L, Issue 15235, 24 February 1913, Page 5

A SEAMAN'S OVERTIME.

HOW SHOULD IT BE COUNTED?

A cask of some interest to seamen, inasmuch as an important point regarding the payment of overtime was involved, was heard before Mr, C. C. Kettle, S.M., at the Magistrate's Court on Saturday. The parties concerned were James Tighe, an able seaman, and the Northern Steamship Company, from whom Tighe sought to recover the sum of 3s. The ease was a test one brought, by the Seamen's Union. Mr. A. E. Skelton appeared for the plaintiff, and Mr. M. McGregor, for the defendant, company.

The case for the plaintiff was that -when he was paid off the Kanieri, ho was not given the overtime rate of Is 6d per hour to which he was entitled. The facts were admitted, tho question involved being on what principle should overtime bo assessed. Under the agreement, overtime for sea-watch is paid at a lower rate than for cargo handling, sea watches counting as a portion of the eight hours on the days of arrival and departure from port. in cases where a ship arrives or leaves a port on the same day, the eight hours may be worked in any portion of 24, and sea watches are counted as part of such eight hours. It was contended by Mr. McGregor, that overtime was only payable after tho eight hours provided in the'agreement had been worked. Any time over the hours should be paid for at the rate of evertime specified for the particular class of work done.

Mr. Skelton stated that the time worked before arrival and a f fer departure from port should be a set-on against the eight hours, and that tho balance of the overtime should be counted as overtime. The man was entitled to credit for his overtime handling cargo, after deducting the hours spent in sea watches.

His Worship reserved his decision