PATRIOTIC MATTRESS MAKERS

Auckland Star, Volume XLVI, Issue 60, 11 March 1915, Page 2

PATRIOTIC MATTRESS MAKERS

WORK 16 HOURS PER DAT.

GIRLS SLEEP AT FACTORY.

CUTTING TROOPSHIPS AWAY.

Asingular ease came before the M*?* B - ] trate's Court to-day, in which a- mattress maker was charged with a breach of the law -by employing three girls at mattress making for more hours than are permitted by the award. V" The defendant, George Hart, for whom Mr. R Singer appeared, pleaded Sd"*?Walter Newton (Inspector of Awards) gave out the times, which showed one girl had worked as mucK as 16 hours a day He said thp mattresses were urgently- needed for the troopships, but no permit for extension had been applied Jor and the girls, after working long, hours, i slept at night on the floor of the ro«n. I TMr- Kettle: They were patriotic enough to do that. " -. ■ • I'Mr 7 Newton said the law bad been because a permit was ncrt obtained. One woman.had worked nine-teen-hours on a particular day ; , ~ .* '■-Mrri&ttleHMd'.the giris-c«mplariil_ ,

Air t-Newton:"-Not tame.,: .:, • .-. Mr! Singer said ■. all the w£re entered in the wagea and time •hook, . also the. avertim* P£* the girls. It was . a .- Sg**** of absolute urgency, as the Defence Department wanted the mattresses, for the troopship to get away. The defendant tried to getTmore>rk,an*V*>£™chines/but. failed. The Defew*-Depart-ment was at his hack *U the- time, and even as it was, one of th e txoopshvps wa* delayed an hour Waiting tresses. Mr. Singer, then read the fpllowh% letter from Charles Loomes, Acting Defence J e \H tear that owing .to'nw insisting on the prompt delivery of mattresses for Trpop, ship No: 2 and the necessity °t YW working overtime in* .consequence, and for which act you have been £H e \£ task by the Inspector of the Labaur DepartmeVt, I beg herewith to state that it was imperative that the mattresses were supplied tb the date »yen, and Jg circumatances the working pi the e*tra hours was absolutely necessary i» the interest oj the .Defence BwtW»l- y Mr Singer added that the girls had hot meals supplied them »a the premises. QeorM. Hart, .fflattress maker, confirmed Ws counsel" sUtemenfc m : -tm he hadonly X days.kllowed in which to provide the mattresses. «e-rung up the 'Defence Department about the hours he. would have" to work, and was told as it:., was a case,o£ urgent need in war, tU> go j right on. None of the hands:grumbled, and thegirls worked willingly, Mr Newton said there bad been complaints ibdut the factories Hrunmng,an night, and the-girls sleeping Pn the premises. • ■»-' ■ .. . Mr! Kettle: I suggest tnatTunder the. circumstances you withdraw the case. - .". jMr~ 'Newton: I" cannot do that. My: instructions are: <th*t the. Department saw ho reason why the law. should not: hate been carried piut. Mn "Kettle: 1 am no goinj»\.toypunish: this man for a" technical breach, of the"; Act. I shall adjourn the .case in '.order, that "the Inspector can inform th e Department that under-the very -Specialcircumstances the case should be withdrawn. If it k' then insisfid that the: case be proceeded "withVl wilt adjudicate, upon the matter.