DAY BAKING.

Press, Volume LXII, Issue 18680, 1 May 1926, Page 17

DAY BAKING.

LEGISLATION SOUGHT. AN AMENDED PROPOSAL. (PBKS3 ASSOCIATION TELEGBAH.) WELLINGTON, April .30. A request for legislation to g' Te e feet to a measure of daylight baking, proposed by tho New Zealand icderat ed Operative Bakers' Association, was niado to the Minister for (the Hon. G. J. Anderson) to-day, by'a deputation representing that bodj of workers. The deputation was introduced by Mr P. Fraser, M.P., who spoke of the importance of the question, and pointed out that it was engaging international discussion. Mr 0. J. Yeale, secretary to tho Bakers' Federation, outlined the history of the movement to secure daylight baking, attributing tbe lailure to secure that end to jealousy among tue master bakers themselves. Replying to the. Minister, the speaker said that, daylight baking would mean commencing at; 5.30 or 6 a.m. Bo far as be knew there was no definite public opposition to the proposal. Continuing, the speaker argued that with the advance of science the baker should he able to produce bread which would be sweet, moist, and wholesome, fortyeight hours after it had been made. If the • men started at 4 a.m., the bread could still be produced* for delivery after 9 a.m. The Minister referred to the fact that night bakers were paying their employees double time for night baking, and asked the reason for it. Mr Veale: It is only jealousy and competition among themselves. can't see that it is for the purppse or helping or pleasing the public. Mr Andrew Collins, secretary of the local union, said he could not see what objection master bakers could raise agains't daylight baking.' Starting at 5.30 a[.m. they could have the bread baked. and in carts by 0 a.m. The baker'a objection at present was that he did not know, when the day's 5 was done, at what time he would be called back again. He hoped the Government would, by legislation, g iv ® twelve months' trial to a system of baking, .whereby work was,commenced at 5.30 a.m. He was willing to put £SOO rtf his own money irrto such a scheme. He contended that daylight baking would do away with the present evils of competition.

Fjtesh Bread Still Possible. Air Brooks instanced an Auckland case' iii which a certain ' Sukehouso worked the same men a straight shift of '25 hours. The Minister: Would you object to continuous work on three separate shifts? Mr Yeale: We object to night work, claiming that it is not necessary. "Supposing this proposal were maid© law, at what time would bread bo delivered?" asked Mr Anderson. Mr Veale said that delivery could start at 7.30 or 8 o'clock in the morning. He explained that the dough would be prepared by the doughman prior to 4 aan., ready for the baker to start work at that hour. Another member of the deputation briefly reviewed the daylight hours worked in Australia, where the hours differed in various States.

Replying to a further question, Mr Veale said they had not discussed their proposal with the master bakers. Mr Anderson promised to consider the matter, remarking that it struck him as more reasonable than anything that had been put .uj> previously. "I think," he said, "this is a matter upon which, if you could come to some arrangement with the master bakers, there would be very little difficulty in getting it through the House." When the question was under discussion before a committee of the House, he recalled, .the burden of the. complaint of employers was that the public demanded fresh bread. The operatives argued that it was not in the interests of the health of the people to eat fresh bread. That was countered by a statement on behalf of the publio that it was quite competent to say what it should cat. He could not say whether the Government would introduce a Bill along the lines requested, although there would be legislation in regard to shops, etc., this year. However, he would let Mr Fraser know the result of the consideration he would give to the proposal they had presented. Mr Fraser remarked in conclusion, that daylight bakine was in force in Holland, Sweden, Finland, Germany, Russia, Czecho-Slovakia and other countries. ;