SATURDAY BARMEN

New Zealand Herald, Volume 81, Issue 25022, 12 October 1944, Page 6

SATURDAY BARMEN

EMEKGENCYPAY OKDER MISUSE OF POWER ALLEGED (S.R.) WELLINGTON, Wednesday The issuing of an employment order under the emergency regulations providing for the terms of employment of temporary barmen was questioned by Mr J. T. Watts (Opposition—Riccarton)> when the Labour Department estimates were under discussion in the House of Representatives today. Mr Watts asked how the Minister of Labour, Mr Webb, could justify the issuing of the Licensed Hotels Modification Order, dated June, 1914, as a war emergency measure. Ho said that the effect of the order was to raise the wages of temporary barmen, and he wondered how that could be done in view of the economic stabilisation policy. The making of the order was a misuse of tho powers granted to the Minister under the emergency regulations. Hotelkeepers Perturbed Mr Webb said tho hotelkeepers had been much perturbed over the problem of finding temporary barmen during the hours of four to six o'clock on Saturday afternoons, because of the large number of servicemen in town at that time. Representations to ease the position were considered by his department, which recommended consideration by the Arbitration Court, but after further representations it was agreed that it should come before the Emergency Council. The council found that, under the award, temporary barmen who worked for a day had to be paid for a week, and recommended an order fixing the rate for two hours' work at 12s, or 6s an hour. He had signed the order, as ho considered it was part of the war effort to give servicemen the service they required. Stabilisation was not involved, because the rate fixed actually meant a reduction on the weekly rate. Member Not Satisfied Mr Watts said be was not satisfied with the Minister's explanation, because he read the award to say that a man could work for two days nt casual rates without having to be paid for a week, and all that was required to meet the situation was provision for the working of two hours on Saturday. The Minister said the award woa as he had stated, and that the course taken was justified in all the circumstances.