THRESHING MILL WORKERS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 21979, 14 June 1933, Page 8

THRESHING MILL WORKERS

INTERPRETATION OF AWARD QUESTION OF SHIFTING TIME (Pee United Peess Association.) CHRISTCHURCH, June 13. An action fto obtain an interpretation of an award/was brought in the Arbitration Court to-day by the inspector ot awards, who claimed £lO from Harry Jeans Conway, threshing mill proprietor, for alleged breach of the award concerning payment for shifting time to threshing mill workers. The defendant s contention was that the award provided tor the payment for shifting time from set to set on a farm for any period exceeding 15 minutes. The department s claim was that payment must be made for all shifting time, including movements from farm to farm and travelling on roads. Mr Thomas, counsel for the defendant, said that the men on the mill had been paid only for shifting time from set to set on a farm and had been perfectly content. The interpretation which the defendant sought to put on the award was never intended by either side when negotiations were in progress for a new award. Now the union officials, discovering an apparent loophole in the award, made this attempt to get more wages. It was simply a trick claim, he declared. It was dishonest. _ ■ Mr Justice Frazer said the court had no power to rectify an error in an agreement but only to interpret a clause as it stood. The court was compelled to the conclusion that shifting time meant any time spent in shifting, whether from set to set or from farm to farm. His Honor said he would impose no penalty.