AGRICULTURAL WORKERS

Te Awamutu Courier, Volume 55, Issue 3938, 11 August 1937, Page 5

AGRICULTURAL WORKERS

SUMMARY OF THE ACT. ADDRESS TO FARMERS. A summary of some of the major points in the Agricultural Workers Act was given by Mr H. E. Schofield, the company’s solicitor, at the annual meeting of suppliers to the Hinuera Dairy Company. Among the main items mentioned were:— WHAT IS A DAIRY FARM ? A dairy farm was one on which not less than ten cows were milked. A worker to come under the Act must be employed for at least seven days. An employer was not necessarily the owner of the farm, but might be the one in control even if he lived as far away as Auckland. For two or more workers proper accommodation, apart from the dining room, for sleeping quarters must be provided, with sufficient furniture, utensils, water, lighting, heating, ventilation, and sanitation, together with drying conveniences. Share-milkers were not provided for under the Act. CHILD LABOUR. No child under the age of 15 years could be employed on a dairy farm after the passing of the Act. RATES OF PAY. The minimum rates of pay were: Under 17 years, 17s 6d a week; 17 to IS years, 22s 6d; 18 to 19 years, 27s 6d; 19 to 20 years, 32s 6d; 20 to 21 years, 37s 6d; over 21 years, 42s 6d. In addition, board and lodging had to be provided, or if not the wage must be increased by 17s 6d a week. Wages must be paid at intervals of not less than one month. EMPLOYMENT TAX. Employment tax was payable on the wages plus the 17s 6d board allowance, and many farmers did not realise this. Farmers were responsible to see that the tax was paid. There was provision whereby any worker who, on account of some disability, could not perform a fair day’s work, could be classified by permit as an under-award worker. HOLIDAYS AND PAY. Every worker w r as entitled to holidays on full pay, together with half board allowance, and the amount had to be paid before the worker went on his leave. No matter for what reason a worker might leave he was entitled to his holiday. The speaker said he knew of a case where at the end of six months a boy had walked out on his employer, and the farmer had to allow fourteen days’ holiday and half boarding allowance. The half day off each week must include one milking time. Every worker on a dairy farm employed for not less than four weeks continuously shall be allowed a hull-

day of not less than seven days in the aggregate for every twelve weeks of employment. The employer shall decide when the holidays shall be taken. A month for these purposes consisted of four weeks, and not a calendar month. EXEMPTION FOR FARMERS. Only wages shown in wages book were allowed as exemption to the farmer, whose duty it was to see that the stamps were’affixed. Regarding exemption for farmers, the ruling of the Labour Department was that of the 17s 6d board allowance on which the employee paid tax only 10s was allowed for exemption, as it was held that the balance covered provisions from the farm, such as milk, vegetables, butter, etc.