LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 109, 31 January 1908, Page 4

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

GOVERNMENT SWEATINC. , Sir,—When tho Government Printing Officii is in full .work the night watchman lias to bo on duty tho -samo. timo as; in other,., depart-: ,inents. . When there is a cessation of work for\the..general staff a watchman has to bo oil duty 'as on tho Saturday half-holidav, Sunday, and all other holidays, some of which lie is allowed from oighfc o'olookin tlio morning to ono o'clock p.m. to get homo,' got food, find-what rest he can and bo back on duty. . Thoi-est of tlio timo ho has been on duty to.coniplcto tlio 24 hours. There is* at times: a 16 days' strotch in which this day and night duty has to bo dono without any extra. pay. Tho extra > timo put in .by thp watchman' amounts to over ono hundred days in tlio year. Tliat state of tilings has boon supported by tho Hon- W. HallJones, for many years as Minister m chargo of tho department. Tlio Premier has in many ;wa,ys' imjiroved tho Tolograpli .and Postal' Departmentj and I am suro that it will bo. to the Premier's credit to improvo tho position of tho,nightwatchmen, who uro in chargo of the Government buildings. • Tho men aro- placed in a responsible position of.' to watch ahd'go through tho buildings every hour. Tho rounds aro very trying; s and'the hours ought to bo restricted to eight' hours out of the 24 hours. Tho lato fire m tho Parliamentary buildings'shows that - tlio' night .watchmen in chargo should not bo over-taxed iii doing; their duty. Way I gest that tyro men. during .'.tho night,'.oiight to bo in. charge as watchmen—l am, etc, NO SWEATING. Wellington, January 29. '