CLAIM FOR WAGES.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVII, Issue 20628, 29 July 1930, Page 7

CLAIM FOR WAGES.

EMPLOYEE IN BOX FACTORY. JUDGMENT FOR £2O GIVEN. A claim for £lO2 15s 6d as balance of wages alleged to be due was made by Ernest John Lawson Smith (Mr. C. C. Bicrnacki) agiiinst Ada and George Bradley (Mi; J. L. C'onlan), before Mr. F. 11. Lovicii, S.M., in the Otalniliu Magistrate's Court vesterdav.

Evidence was given that plaintiff worked in a box-making factory at Papatoetoe, conducted by George Bradley, in the name of A. and G. Brad lev. from October to April last. lie started under an arrangement that lie was to receive £1 10s weekly and that he was to be given board and lodgings by defendants, the value of the board and lodgings being assessed at another £1 10s weekly. Some time late*" an inspector from the Labour Department visited the factory. He said that labour in such a factory was governed by an award, which required that plaintiff should receive £4 10s weekly.

Plaintiff gave evidence that after the visit of tho inspector, flic defendant, George Bradley, promised that he would pay the balance due to make his wages up to the award rate. He had not received tho balance, whilo a sum of £7O was duo (o him for overtime worked, and also a sum of 2s per day extra for acting as saw-doctor at the factory. Evidence was given by Gcoige Bradley that ho often told plaintiff not to work overtime as there was no need. However, plaintiff did not heed his instructions. He was generally paid more than £1 10s in cash each week, witness adding an extra few shillings on most weeks.

Mr. Conlan said that under the Act plaintiff was not entitled to claim for any balance for the period prior to six months before the date of the lodging of the claim. The summons was issued on July 12. which meant that the part of the claim relating to the period before January 10 could not stand. Tho magistrate said (hero was no dofinite evidence of tiie amount of overtime worked by plaintiff At his suggestion the parties conferred. They agreed to judgment, being entered for plaintiff for a total of £2O 15s, comprising £l2 15s balance of wages from January 10, plus £8 overtime.

Judgment for this amount, with costs, was entered for plaintiff.