A CABINET MINUTE.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 20044, 6 September 1920, Page 5

A CABINET MINUTE.

A case heard bjfi Mr Mosley, S.M., turned upon the validity of a' Cabinet minute of November 30, 101(5, regarding an agreement made by employers and employees that members of ."the Drivers’ Union should get (5a a week bonus. An employer and employee in the country heard nothing of this. After serving six years (sixty-one weeks war period) the man left his employment, coming to town*. Ho heard of the bonus and saw Mr Arnold, local Inspector of Awards. Mr Arnold looked into the matter and concluded that the bonus should be paid, but that the section of the Arbitration Act limited payment to three months. This also the view of the Department. On Mr Arnold’s demand the employer-paid lor three months. The employee sued his late employer for bonus for the balance of sixty-onc Weeks. Counsel for the defence contended that an’employer was not bound by a Cabinet minute which was not issued by' the Arbitration Court or as an Order-in-Council, or at most it covered three months. His Worship said ho knew of no law authorising Cabinet merely by minute to vary an Act or filed award/ He gave judgment for defendant. 1