YOUTHS AS TRUCKERS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume L, Issue 15307, 21 May 1913, Page 5

YOUTHS AS TRUCKERS.

'■'■'■■ ;•■::)' •...' » :•. "---;^"f;;;:;; ; : ;g);^ THE QUESTION.:'; OF WAGES, . -L;^ A ruling has been given.•by the'CdhciliT.it'>;': tion Commissioner (Mr. T. Harle Giles) at fcfcj' request of the Ohinemuri Mines and'Ba,."' tones Employees' Union 'Workers aru the Waihi Gold Mining Company on t, hi question of wages to; be" pajd to 'ydut&s - employed :v as _ truckers underground." .';,' : ; l] The "point| in dispute was. whether .t!i^, ; , company was entitled to employ youths ''*fe'■ truckers below ground at the '"wages J /i> out in clause 4of th© Waihi district d mining agreement. A conference; had be -J?, held by) the parties, who had;,heen unalle to come to -an .'agreement/; and. the mat! vj- - . had been left to the commissioner or jaij|i '■■"? cißion under clause .15 of the agreement !f>jf In the course of his ruling the commio?-%* sioner states [. that the question was rot specifically discussed :by the -, parties 1 at--the time the< agreement was entered inl />: r :. At the time the agreement was made ifc ; had not been the custom to employ: youths ■■'*'■ at such work. The commissioner con 31- .* dered -that clause 4, was not. intended■, tn> ' authorise the employment ,\i of, youths truckers underground at the wages set ;^f;t ; ; ■ in the clause. Not only did he think tl*t •;: clause 4' was not intended by the parfcaa '• to have ; ; the meaning ■ the , company n< w^' ; sought; to ; give to it, but be thought ajiatithat -. av ; strict ■; interpretation 'of i; the vteiijns'*);,; of the agreement, without reference '.; to)|iie; v state of affairs existing at the time tae agreements was entered ; into, r would net £; authorise the';.; employment of ', youths* <U>4ii such' work at! a wage less than that ■-'s.'ifc "**, out in clause 2 of the agreement. 'TJie' commissioner's decision,' therefore/ "was., that the /company must pay all persons/ejn- -'■:■: ployed '"'as truckers underground the wages :-: set out in.clause 2 of the' agreement" : The minimum wage specified for mullockers and truckers (underground) ', under, =;•■: clause 2 of the agreement is. 9s 63 per day*';s| or per shift,; while under clause 4, relating „< : ) to the wages of youths, * the . rates r pro* vided are : 4s per, for; shift for youths; - under 17 years;- os, from IT: to 18; 6s, from 18 to 19; and 7s, from 19 to 20 rears of ? «ge.;..;-> Z%£gfflKk