Major Braithwaiteasked the Minister of Agriculture whether his attention has been called to the disparity of the rates of overtime paid to agricultural labourers in various parts of the country; and whether he will take immediate steps to regularise this and bring about uniformity?
Mr. HudsonI am aware that the overtime rates fixed by Agricultural Wages Committees are not uniform. Parliament has conferred upon these committees, which consist mainly of representatives of local employers and workers, the power to fix rates which they consider suited to the local conditions, and I have no power to override their decisions.