EIGHT HOURS LEAGUE.

Auckland Star, Volume XXIX, Issue 101, 30 April 1898, Page 2

EIGHT HOURS LEAGUE.

An adjourned open meeting of the Eight Hours League of New Zealand was convened for last evening in the Tailoresses' Hail, Cook-street. The meeting was called to hear the views of Messrs" Crowther and Holland, M.H.K's on the eight hours question. At . the time announced for commencement of the meeting the number present was limited and mostly composed of ladies. Mr A. Rosser took the chair and explained the trouble taken in endeavouring to work up a big meeting. He confessed himself dissatisfied with the result. .Mr Holland considered it would be a waste of time to speak to such a small meeting, as they intended to address their constitutents-in a week or two, and they would then have to go over the same ground. They intended to proceed to a meeting of the Building Committee of the Auckland Exhibition,- where lie thought they could do more good than by speaking on the eight hours question to so small.a meeting. Mr Crowther concurred in these remarks. Mr J. Creamer; secretary of the League, thought Messrs Crowther and Holland should not " back down." Those who were present should not be punished for those who were absent. The meeting by this time had increased a little in numbers, and on a resolution being put to those present it was resolved that the addresses should be proceeded with. Mr Crowther said he claimed to have as much experience of the question of eight hours as any.working man. He claimed to be a working man. Most of what he was possessed of was earned after, eight hours; after people had gone to bed. Mr Creamer: The more's the pity. Mr Crowther: It was not a pity for me. Mr Creamer: It was a bad job for others. Mr Crowther proceeded and said he, was sixty-three years of age and he could handle a pick and shovel with any one in the room that night. It had done him no harm. At the same time, eight hours now was a long enough day for many; workers. The conditions in the cities were such that the Government could not make eight hours a hard and fast rule at present. . Mr Crowther detailed what transpired when the Bill was in committee and said Mr Cadman showed the railways could not be worked on an eight hours' system. At ■ harvest" time too there could not be an' eight hours' day. Mr Crowther j went on to argue that an eight hours' j day would hurt local manufactures in competition with other countries. Mr Holland said he thought eight hours' work a day was quite enough for any man. There were difficulties: in making it compulsory in connection with some employments, but lie did not see why the eighthour clay should not be legalised for all factories and for^ skilled and unskilled labourers. At the conclusion the speakers were accorded a vote of thanks. . .