D.—la

(3) Wet Places. In all " wet places " six hours shall be considered a working day on Monday to Friday inclusive, and three hours on Saturday, and shall be paid for at time and one-third rates. The question of " wet places " is to be agreed upon by the check inspector and engineer, and the following interpretations are given for their guidance:— (i) Underground work: Where men working underground require to wear oilskins to keep dry, it shall be deemed a "wet place." (ii) Above ground: Where men get wet at their work from other causes than rain it shall be deemed a " wet place." (iii) Above ground: Where men are required by the engineer to work in rain, and they get wet, it shall be deemed a " wet place." (4) Overtime. (a) No overtime whatever is to be permitted by engineers if avoidable. When overtime is unavoidable, it shall, except in " wet places," be computed after eight hours have been worked on any day (Saturday, Sunday, and statutory holidays excepted), and shall be paid for at rate and a half. (b) "Wet place" overtime shall be computed and paid for after six hours have been worked on any day (Saturday, Sunday, and statutory holidays excepted), at rate and a half on the ordinary wages for " wet place " work. (c) Except on " shift work," an employee called upon by the engineer to work before or after the usual time of commencing or finishing work shall be paid overtime rate for such time worked by him outside ordinary working hours, whether he completes a full day's work or not. (d) Double rates will be paid for all time worked on Saturday (except where men are making up time lost through wet weather), Sunday, and statutory holidays, but in such cases if equivalent time off is desired by a workman it shall be without pay. (e) Horse or motor-lorry drivers or other weekly workers (except cooks, &c.) shall be paid overtime at rate and one-half for all time worked on the work in excess of forty hours per week. (/) When the engineer requires co-operative parties to work overtime on their own contracts on any working day, they shall be paid 50 per cent, extra for such overtime, based on their average hourly earnings for that monthly pay-period; and if they are required by the engineer to work on a Saturday, Sunday, or statutory holiday they shall receive double pay, also based on their average earnings for that monthly pay-period. (</) For the purposes of this part of the agreement statutory holidays shall be those mentioned under " Statutory holidays and annual leave." (5) Travelling-time. Workmen for whom Camp Accommodation is provided. (a) When day-wages men or co-operative contractors are compelled to live more than one mile from their work, and have to walk to and from work, travelling-time, computed on the basis of twenty minutes to the mile, shall be allowed for all distance travelled in excess of the first mile in proceeding to and returning from work—e.g., if a man lives a mile and a quarter from his work he is entitled to payment for half a mile, or ten minutes, but time occupied in travelling to and from work shall not count for overtime, or as part of the day's work. (b) Where men who are camped on a work are conveyed by the Department to and from work by train or motor or otherwise, or where, at their own option, they live more than a mile from their work, no payment shall be made for travelling-time. Except where a regular .train service is being run by the Department the engineer shall, after consultation with the union representative, fix the time of starting and return, and also the time allowed for the trip; and when men are conveyed to and from work by the Department reasonable protection from the weather shall be provided. (c) When it has been decided to inaugurate a regular train or motor service for the purpose of conveying men to and from work the engineer shall prepare a time-table, supply the union representative with a copy, and also post a copy in a conspicuous place on the works. (d) Fettlers travelling by hand velocipede over four miles to their work may commence work fifteen minutes later than the ordinary time and leave off work fifteen minutes earlier than the ordinary finishing time, and for each complete additional mile beyond four miles five minutes extra will be allowed in each direction. For example, fifteen minutes each way would be allowed if the distance travelled was over four miles and not more than five miles; twenty minutes each way if the distance was over five miles and not more than six miles; and twenty-five minutes each way if the distance was over six miles and not more than seven miles. (e) Where, however, they are supplied with motor velocipedes they will be allowed to start work ten minutes later than the ordinary time and leave off work ten minutes earlier than the ordinary finishing time when they travel more than four miles to their work, and for each complete additional mile beyond four miles three minutes extra will be allowed in each direction.

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