1921.] Conciliation Committees in Ac.ricclt^'re. 



489 



8. Conciliation Committees constituted as above are em- 

 jjowered under the Act to deal with wages, hours of labour or 

 conditions of employment in Agriculture in their respective 

 ar^as. They may agree upon rates of wages for any class oi 

 person employed in the district or in any part of the district foi' 

 which the Committee is formed, and may fix special rates erf 

 wages for special classes of woikmen or may provide for tlu' 

 exemption, on account of special circumstances, of particular 

 classes of workmen from the rates agreed upon. 



9. When a Conciliation Committee has agreed upon a rate of 

 w'ages, it may, if it so agrees, submit the agreement to the 

 -Minister of Agriculture for confirmation. The ^Einister may 

 thereupon confirm the agreement, and cause it to be advertised 

 in the district to which it applies, with particulars of the date 

 from which, and the period for which, it is to operate. 



10. A rate of wages having been agreed upon by a Con- 

 cihation Committee, and confirmed and advertised b}' tlie 

 ^finister of Agriculture, it becomes, for so long as the agree- 

 ment is in operation, an implied term of every contract for the 

 employment in the district of a workman of any class to which 

 the agreement applies that the employer shall pay to that wwk- 

 man wages at not less than the rate payable under the agreement. 



11. Nothing in any contract for the employment of a work- 

 man shall operate to deprive the workman of his right to receive 

 wages at the rate agi-eed upon by the Conciliation Committee 

 iind duly confii med and advertised except : — 



(a) where the Conciliation Committee or a Sub-Committee 

 thereof is satisfied that the contract for payment of 

 wages at a lower rate is, having regard to any special 

 circumstances affecting the workman or to the special 

 terms of the contract, fair and rea-onable. and issues 

 a certificate accordingly ; or 

 ^.h) where, on an apphcation for such a certificate, the 

 Committee or Sub-Committee has failed to agree with 

 respect to the matter, and the Court in wliich proceed- 

 ings are taken for the recovery of wages at the rate 

 agreed by the Committee, is so satisfied as :^foresaid : 

 t.nd then only to the extent to which the Conciliation Coaunittee 

 or Sub-Conunittee certifies or the Court determines that the 

 wages payable should be at some lower rate {]v.\n the rate so 

 agreed by the Committee. 



1*2. Proceedings may he taken in a Court of law for the re- 

 covery of arrears of wages at the rate agrtHul by tlu* Conciliation 

 C(^m?uittee. Such proceedings must be conuiuMicod within three 



