“A PAIR LOAD”

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXII, Issue 7110, 23 April 1910, Page 1

“A PAIR LOAD”

DEFINED BY AWARD, NOT BY SHIP’S SUNGS.

HARBOUR BOARD’S RESPONSIBILITIES.

Giving judgment yesterday in the cases in which the Wellington Wharf Labourers’ Union . proceeded • against tho Wellington 'Harbour Board for breaches of the award governing the weight of'loads which workers may be required to truck. Mr W. R. 'Haselden. S.M., held that both in respect of the one man loads of cement and two men loads of rails the' excess weight admitted to have been trucked was so great as to prevent the saving clause ‘bis near as practicable” being rightfully claimed as meeting tho case. The overloading of rails was shown to have resulted from excess loads having been deposited by ships’ slings. “I am bound,” said his Worship, “to assume that o', ewt. is a fair load for a man and that it has been fixed by th© award at that weight because it is a fair load. To add 1921bs to a failload for one man and ask one man to push it is, in my opinion, unreasonable and is a breach of tho award.” _ In regard to tho second case his Worship said—“ln this particular case iron rails were being discharged, and tho o nest ion agreed to is whether it would bo a breach of danse 15 of the award to load 1-4 cwt. of rails on a track and require two men to wheel it. I think 2 ewt. is such a substantial over-weight as to take the load out of the margin allowed by the clause under the words ‘as near as practicable,’ and to so load trucks is a breach cf the award.” Judgment for plaintiffs for 10s niicl costs was entered in each case. The fines wore fixed at nominal amounts as the ! actions were friendly ones hrought to. define tho rights and responsibilities of the parties. ,