JUVENILE LABOUR.

Sun (Christchurch), Volume VI, Issue 1788, 6 November 1919, Page 11

JUVENILE LABOUR.

BOY ON A MILK ROUND. EMPLOYER TO PAY NOMINAL FINE. The sum of £lO was claimed by F. Hooper (Inspector of Awards), in a case brought before Mr V. G. Day, S.M., in the Magistrate's Court to-day, against Charles Taylor, dairyman,, Shirley, who was charged with a breach of clause 3 of the Canterbury Dairymen's Award, in that, on October 4, he employed a boy under the age of 16 years to drive a milk cart. Mr C. S. Thomas represented the defendant. Mr Hooper said that the award was an old one, but had never been amended. Of late much comment had been made regarding the employment of juveniles on milk rounds, and it was therefore desired to bring the present case as a warning. Mr Thomas said that the case was not one of sweated labour. His client had acted in ignorance. The award rate of wage was 10/-, but the defendant paid the boy, who was 15 years of age, 25/-, and kept him. In addition, he allowed the boy to keep a small piggery and supplied the food for this, the boy drawing the profits. The defendant, in addition to being a dairyman, was a rangesetting expert, and, as he had a job to do, ho left the boy, after calling at the Hendezvous, in charge of the cart to drive it home. On the way home the boy was to supply three customers. Mr Thomas submitted that it was good law to say that an award should be read in a reasonable spirit. The clause in question was obviously intended to prevent juveniles being employed on rounds to a degree beyond their strength, and for long hours. There was no suggestion of this in the present case. The defendant gave evidence that he did not know the boy's age, and had never inquired, as he was not aware of the provisions of the award. He had never sent the boy out in charge of the round. . Usually the boy accompanied him on a bicycle. The Magistrate said that it was not quiet clear what was the intention of the award. As the case had been brought as a warning he would merely give judgment for 1/- and costs.