FARM OVERTIME

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXVIII, Issue 23870, 22 January 1941, Page 4

FARM OVERTIME

WJJ APEPA PA DISPUTE STATEMENT BY MINISTER PROSPECTS OF OCCUPIERS [I! V I KI.KCJtA I'll —OWN COlt li I Sl'(l\ 111. NT | WELLIXCTOX. Tursilay I J<■ i« m rill lo reports 111 i ■ >mjihiilli by men engaged mi flu- W'lut i <>|>a|»n Land I>r\<■ I<1I>lln■ 111 Block, the .Minister ol hand-, the lion. I''. Langstoiic, said the lahoiir employed by the Lands I )e----partmeiit on these operations came under two headings. "The first," said Mr. I,a ngstone, I "comprises occupiers, who do ordinary farm work on a seven-day week basis, receiving LI 10s a week, out ol which each man pays 10,s a, week lor his cottage. These men have permanent, positions, and the wages and conditions are superior to those operating in similar private employment. The men are not members ol any union, and they receive annual holidays and days off in lieu of any overtime worked. "I ho second class comprises ordinary labourers. These men, who are members of the New Zealand Workers' Union, and who are covered by an agreement, receive a. guaranteed wage ol not less than Lib a month of four weeks. If no time is lost, they are paid at the rate of 2s .'id nn hour. They, like the occupiers, must work during the harvesting period as required. No overtime rate is paid because of the favourable terms of their employment. This is all provided for in the agreement, and the men concerned in the report have flagrantly broken their own ngreement. "In regard to the Wharepapa block specifically," continued the Minister, "this is one of the areas formerly belonging to the Waikato Land Settlement; Society under the presidency of Mr. I). V. Bryant. The terms of the agreement between the (lovernniont and the society were set out in a formal document, which was validated by legislation, and all the settlers know quite well exactly the terms of their occupation and what their prospects are. The (.lovornmont, however, reserves to itself the right to decide just when the development has progressed sufficiently to warrant the establishment of the men as individual units."