D.—lA.

(6) Shift Work. (a) Eight hours, inclusive of half an hour for crib, shall constitute a day's work in tunnels, whether one, two, or three shifts are being worked; and on outside work eight hours, inclusive of half an hour for crib, shall constitute a day's work where two or three shifts are being worked. (b) On outside work an allowance of Is. per day is to be paid to men when working on the night shift —i.e., shift commencing at or after midnight. (7) Camp-shifting Time. All time occupied in shifting camp shall be paid for at current rates. Such shifting time may include time occupied in dismantling old camp and travelling to new camp, as well as erection of the new camp. If dismantling and re-erecting are done by the Department, payment will be made for time occupied in actual travelling. If men erect or dismantle, or both, they shall be paid for such time as well as the time occupied in travelling. All camp-shifting time shall be reasonable and be agreed upon by the engineer and the union representative beforehand. No man shall be required to shift camp on a wet day. (8) Locality Allowance. If a work is situated in a very isolated locality or in a district with an exceptionally heavy annual rainfall, the workmen employed thereon may, subject to prior approval by the Minister, be granted a locality allowance either by way of a percentage increase in the co-operative contract prices or as a daily allowance. (9) Provision of Tools. (a) The Department will supply workmen with tools (other than those usually provided by tradesmen) required for the carrying-out of work, and they will be issued on loan. All such tools shall be returned to the stores officer when they are not further required, and in all cases before workmen leave the works. The value of tools not returned or accounted for will be deducted from the earnings of workmen. (b) Departmental tools worn out or broken whilst being used by workmen shall be replaced by the Department free of charge if, in the opinion of the engineer and the union representative, such replacement is reasonable. (10) Cement Handling. All workers, except concrete workers and others already in receipt of extra pay for handling cement, shall be paid an allowance of Is. for every day on which they are required to handle cement for one hour or over. (11) Gum Boots. • The Department will supply gum boots where required, but if an employee wears his own gum boots by arrangement with the engineer he shall be entitled to an allowance of Is. per day. (12) Slips and Washaways. In cases of emergency, where men are required to work long hours under adverse conditions, reasonable refreshments, such as tea or coffee and food, shall be provided at the expense of the Government, and men who are called out at night in cases of emergency shall be entitled to a minimum payment of two hours at overtime rates. (13) Co-operative Contracts. (a) The present co-operative contract system is to continue. (5) The resident engineer or other responsible Government officer letting a eo-operative contract shall prepare a specification, a plan where such is necessary to interpret the work or if asked to by the party, and also a schedule showing accurately the. quantities of work contained in such contract, and shall fix prices for such quantities of work as will permit a workman of average ability to earn a daily wage equal to the Public Works current rate of pay. (c) The contract documents, including specification and schedule of quantities and prices, are to be signed before a co-operative contract party commences work; and if the plan, where being supplied, is not ready when a contract is being signed it shall be supplied as soon as possible, but not later than seven days after the date of signing of the contract or the date on which it is asked for by the party. (d) The engineer shall supply co-operative contractors regularly with correct centres and levels for the work in such a way as may be readily understood by them. He shall also see that they are supplied with proper boning-rods or other suitable apparatus to enable them to keep their work to correct levels off the pegs put in for this purpose. (e) After a co-operative contract is signed the quantities shall not be altered or varied unless the scope of the work is definitely reduced or increased; but if the scheduled prices in the contract are found to be too high or too low the engineer or other officer in charge of the work may, after giving the co-operative contractors six clear days' notice in writing, reduce or increase such prices and fix them at such a rate as will permit a workman of average ability to earn a daily wage equal to the Public Works current rate of pay; or

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