WHITE SLAVERY IN A RESTAURANT.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXVI, Issue 253, 23 October 1905, Page 4

WHITE SLAVERY IN A RESTAURANT.

96 HOURS TOR 8/ WEEKLY, AUSTRIAN HEAVILY FINED, Allegations amounting to a ehaie. <* S. 6la J°7 were made in .ttK6£ Court to-day against a Queen atiL?J"? taurant proprietor The defendant, an Austrian, " a f£2* cuted by Mr. S. Mays, on beJ3 JfT - Crown Solicitor (instructed by t £ f B spector of Factories), for emptovS, three assistants named Frederiß? gustus Awdry, Florence Darlington"ifd Constance Lela Awdry in his'shop*more than 52 hours per week, 3 I°' gleeting to give them one-hai<l&iii£ each week. -"••wmj Mr Maya, before calling evidence, .... sured the magistrate (Mr; R. W Dw* % S.M ) that the case was th* worrt o?£ kind he had ever known to come- befota the Court, some of Franchi's unfortan.*.' assistants having to work Hβ hours u£ ' week, while another worked 96 hours foi. 8/ per week. ' r ; Frederick Augustus Audry. stitadthat he had until recently been employ*! as a shopman by Franchl, whd kferthi' • fishmonger's shop and a restaurant . also sold tobacco. He worked B Wi days a week, and his weekday hours » f were from eight aim. till midnight te ;i 1.30 a.m. Once he worked until tffrr' a.m. On Sundays he Started a t nine o'clock, and continued until 11 p,nu "The i witness added that during the hist six • weeks, with the exception of two diys when he went to Te AwanratUi he had had no time ctf, and scarcely got time for his meals. Florence-Darlington, another employee, worked exactly the same hours as the witness, with the exception that during the day she got two hours off. Constance Awdiy worked the. same hours as Miss Darlington, and neither got a half-holiday during the Week ending September 23. Th« witness stated that he averaged 98 hours per [ Week daring the whole time he had been working for Frnnchi, and during two of i the weeks his hours totalled 116* n« week.' ■; , ■ _*;_• ■f ' Mr. Alexander suggested that tie,- ' witness was dismissed because- there ■ was soriie trouble over the till, but At* r dry denied this. ' ■> • : -'.---... r ,-.,.. Mr. Alexander; "Did you riot get -ife ■;••." missel?, ' •■•' ■ ..■ ~.? Witness: "I did not get notice; r*e.9?, told to clear out in three minutes or It would be thrown out." • * , In reply to further questions* the"w't«}' ness said he was kept pretty busy'6lVf day in the shop, and ihe snlbon busiJ ness was principally after nine p.m.. Hβ denied that he was practically idla during , the afternoons, and said he, did .not' approach the Inspector of Factories, bini*? self. Miss Darlington, who wa& a waitress • at Franehi's restaurant, gave, evidence,, supporting Awdry's statement that ate". worked 96 hours i week of seven -daysi ■". ■ She stated that r ie got off for two hour*/ , each afternoon And in reply.to Mr. Alet-' ander said sh« <ras dismissed for falkinf to some burners in the passage. Sii| went to tWs inspector -of- Factories -I^-, . cause dismissed her at 10. pMfi. |. without notice. • . ~ , :.. ~■ > The magistrate:. "What wages did ydii - ft? , ' . • - ~. ; ' Witness: "Ten sliillings the first/vvefek f ■ and 12/ the next." f - ■,-.._ Constance Lela Awdry* daughter 6f 4 Frederick A. Awdry, gave evidence, thlfc. her hours were similar to that'of MiSi' . Darlington's. Her wages for the week of 90 hours _ambunted, she saidi to eight shillings'. Her duties ednsisted 6f flit* r tiiig at table. Reginald • Service, a youth,, said, did waiting and cooking af Frahchi'l restaurant for 15/ shillings per wefefe Hia hours were from S a.ni. urijtil 12 0f ! 1.36 a.m., and sometimes 2 a.m.- On Sundays he worked from 9 1 a.m. . • . . . • "Had you any half-holidays t"J aiie"d ; Mr Mays, and the witness said ie i6ni^! got one. That \Vas wlienheif'as r #- poenaed to attend the Police Court one Mornins - . •■ . ■ ■ . Constable Murray, whbse beat for-the:. j| last few months had been in the neigh l ' bourhood of Franchi's restaurant iaLower Queen-street, said the shop ijrisopen before 9 a.m.,-and was often not* shut until 1 or 2 o'clock in the ißora-' ing. Mr Alexander, the defendant's solici-; tor, stated that the Awdry family w« employed for wages and food, and A*-; dry senior practically, managed- thj-; business, Franchi interfering verj, little. The hours, he admitted, were very long, but there was little to do all day, most of the business . befflg r done after 8 pjn. Franchi was unow the impression that he did riot cob! . , under the Factories Act. . Mr Mays remarked that a Cftrirtchurch judgment had made it dear that, shops similar to Franchi's came unfler the Factories Act, and Franchi had been, warned about Ms liability By the tor of Factories. . - ■ . f Mr Dyer remarked that it was terrible/; to think of the people working such tnf mendonsly long hours and getting 8/ to 12/ per week. "It's too bed/* deeWM His Worship emphatically."White slavery," suggested Mr Mayfc His Worship, continuing, said the tmt was really shocking, and he, did W think euch a state of thing 3 could cart in Auckland. • ." -- ' Mr Ferguson (Inspector of •■;.*»- tories): We have had nothing like * before In Auckland. : .. ' His Worship said he had come to the conclusion that the best way to ma» people observe the law was to make is unprofitable for them to do .otherwlifc "It really is white slavery to emptoy, people like this," he declared j- *1 W" 1 fine you 3T)/ on each of eleven informfty tions, and order you to pay costs.'. . The total amount of costs and flnM (£29 15/8) was paid immediately by to". defendant. -. ; .: v