and giving similar information concerning those who have resigned or been discharged. This return should also record any increases in the rates of pay, any transfers from one department to another, also the names of employés who are to be fined for neglect of duty or for any other cause, of those who are to receive premiums for some special reason, and of those who are on leave, or are absent from illness or injury, but to whom wages or allowances are to be paid. WAGES ADVICE.-SPECIMEN No. 12. RETURN OF MEN ENGAGED, RESIGNED, DISCHARGED, PROMOTED, TRANSFERRED OR FINED, AND OF ALLOWANCES AND PREMIUMS, WAGES RATE BOOK.-SPECIMEN NO. 13. of No. Name. Trade. Rate. Engage Advance. Advance. Advance. Advance. Advance. Advance. Date. Rate. Date. Rate. Date. Rate. Date. Rate. Date. Rate. Date. Rate." Remarks These returns should be duly entered in a Wages Rate Book Wages Bate (Specimen No. 13), Book. from which book at any period the rate of pay entered in the Wages Book for all or any of the employés can be checked. Unless a special book recording the length of the employé's service and of his or her varying rates of pay and other details is kept, the Wages Rate Book may be made to serve such purpose. Successive rates. If a large number of employés follow the same trade, or if there is a readvances in cognised scale of rises on a period of employment basis, it may be well to supplement the Wages Advice (Specimen No. 12) by a return, sent into the countinghouse on the first day of each month, showing the names and numbers of those to whom it is proposed during the month to grant increased pay. This form is almost identical with the Wages Rate Book (Specimen No. 13), with the exception that before the THE WAGES BOOK. 33 columns showing the successive advances there should be inserted two columns, the first showing the rate of pay in force, and the second the proposed rate. The "remarks" column should be used for stating the reasons for the advance. The sole utility of this form seems to be that through its use the principal has only to settle the question of proposed increases once a month instead of once a week; and is thereby enabled to make inquiries as to the character and capacity of any employé who is recommended for an increase of pay. Compilation It will be seen from the foregoing that the compilation of the Wages Book is not a difficult matter, and that if ordinary care and attention are given of Wages to it a clerical mistake should not occur;, whilst the number of persons through whose hands the returns pass, each acting as a check on the others, should prevent peculation and fraud. Book. The specimen ruling of a Wages Book (No. 14) is, we venture to think, applicable in detail to most, and in general to all, trades. This specimen ruling shows columns for the entry of any stoppages or deductions for rent, fuel, sick and provident societies, superannuation fund, or other purposes, but it must be remembered that under the "Truck Amendment Act of 1887" no such stoppage or deduction can be made, unless there is a written agreement or request, signed by the employé, authorising such deduction or stoppage. All employés, therefore, who require such deductions to be made should be requested to sign a Stoppage Agreement Form, or Book, should the latter be the more convenient. If it is necessary to have a permanent record of the character of an employé, as evidenced by the fines D |