TYPOGRAPHERS’ AWARD

Southland Times, Issue 21265, 11 December 1930, Page 6

TYPOGRAPHERS’ AWARD

INTERPRETATION BY COURT

MR MONTEITH DISAGREES. (Per Un;teU Press Association,! Wellington, December 10. The Court of Arbitration was recently asked to interpret the Dominion Typographical Award. The question asked was: In the. case of six point and seven point type is the multiplier to be used 'for the number of en quads per line or the average number of actual letter matrices and spacebands per line. “The Court may not have fully understood the technical terms used in Clause 17d but its intention is clear from, the memorandum and that intention was to provide for payment in ratio to the amount of work performed,” stated his Honour, Mr Justice Frazer. “The memorandum is not strictly part of the award but it serves to explain what was in the mind of the court. The court now understands that the en quad matrices in. use On the machine may not have any relation to the face of the type used. It was formerly under the impression that the en quad bore a definite relation to the face of the type in use and could be treated for practical purposes as a .letter of the average size of that type. If it is necessary to remove any ambiguity in Clause 17d the court will amend the clause to harmonize with the intention expressed in the memorandum. The correct method of ascertaining the multiplier for six point and seven point type is to take the average number of actual letter matrices and spacebands per line. “Mr Monteith does not agree with the foregoing and was not in agreement with the majority when the award was made. He is of the opinion that en quads cannot be regarded as the same thing as letter matrices,” said His Honour.