UNDER-RATE WORKERS.

Otago Witness, Issue 3015, 27 December 1911, Page 89

UNDER-RATE WORKERS.

A CARPENTER'S APPLICATION

At thel Magistrate's Court, Bakftutha, lon the 13th inst. Frederick Littlewood, carfpenter, Balclutha, made application: to be 'exempted from the carpenters' and joiners' j award wage. He gave evidence that he toame to New Zealand two years ago to improve his health, and after an" unsuccessful attempt on, the land, he secured t emjployment from local carpenters and joiners. Me had been working at the trade for *2O months, and Le considered th& 8s a day was all he was worth at present. He was now working for Mr Henderson, Balclutha, and lie wished to stay with him till he was qualified to ask for a full wage —for about a year or 18 months. He was a married man' with a wife and child. Edward Kellet, organising secretary Carpenteirsr' and Joiners' Union, Otago branch, opposed the application on principle. A man who served like the present one could never be a practical tradesman, generally speaking. The underrate worker in nine cases out of 10 was never a practical man. This man had been . two years at th© employment, and hi© suggested that he should be taken on for the ensuing three years to pompleto his term of apprenticeship. The employer, however, said he did not see his way to do this, as he had not enough work ahead. The union objected to this permit being issued in the interests of the trade and community. Assuming that he had a permit, if work with his present employer were slack he would go to another employer, who would put him on work at which he could get most out of him; naturally, he would never be fully qualified, because he would not be given the opportunity to learn all branches of the trade. His Worship eaid it seemed to him there would be considerable difficulty in carrying out Mr Kellet's proposal. If Littlewood wer') passed on after six months to another employer he could be paid only on the rate for the term of apprenticeship Berved. It raised an important matted of principle, which had been fairly . stated by Mr Kellet, and these objections were entitled to every weight. He would postpone the matter, m the hope that Mr Littlewood would come to some arrangement with his employer to, be apprenticed. ~--Clutha Leader.