FARM LABOUR

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 79, Issue 237, 7 October 1936, Page 8

FARM LABOUR

EMPLOYMENT OF MARRIED COUPLES THE NEW LEGISLATION [Per Press Association] WELLINGTON, Oct. 6. The Minister cf Labour, Hon. H. T. Armstrong, interviewed to-day, said that a misunderstanding existed as to the effect of the Agricultural Workers Act upon the wives of dairy-farm employees, and the employment of married couples might be prejudiced n the matter were not explained. The Act laid down a minimum wage of £2 2s 6,1 a week plus board and lodging for the dairy-farm worker. If free boa”d and lodging were not provided he was entitled to £3 a week. In cases where the worker was married and he and his wife were engaged as a married couple with free house and foodstuffs, the free house and foodstuffs were not regarded as “free board and lodging’’ under the Act and could not be taken into account as part of the worker’s wages. The statutory wage and holidays applied definitely to the husband but not necessarily to the wife. The situation of the wife was governed by the nature of the work, if any, for the farmer. If she were engaged wholly on farm work she, too, was entitled to the statutory wage and holidays. If she performed, in the main, only domestic duties and merely assisted for brief periods daily in farm work, she should be paid in respect to the latter duties the due proportion of the statutory wage. It was admissible, in computing the wife’s payment of this proportion, to take into account the rent value of the free house and the value of anything else the farmer provided. If the wife were engaged on only domestic duties she was not subject to the legislation. Employers and employees were recommended to submit to the nearest branch of the Labour Department particulars of cases in which they were concerned and which they considered required individual consideration. Farmers particularly were requested not to terminate the engagement of married couples until they had made sure from the department that their own or their employees’ estimate of the new wages due was correct. Farmers need not fear precipitate action by the department to institute proceedings. The department would endeavour to meet each case reasonably and was instructing inspectors to treat each case on its merits.