MEETING OF MASTER BAKERS.

Daily Southern Cross, Volume XXVI, Issue 4062, 29 August 1870, Page 2

MEETING OF MASTER BAKERS.

An adjourned meeting of the master-bakera in and around the city was held on Saturdayevening at the British Hotel. Mr. R. F. Payne occupied the chair. The chairman announced that the subjects for the meeting to consider that evening were, the devising some plan whereby the hours of working in the bakiug trade could be generally altered ; and to consider the question of not supplying the small grocery shops with bread. On the latter question there seemed to be great diversity of opinion, although generally acknowledge ing the necessity of such a reform. Some maintained that the bakers in Auckland would never work so harmoniously with their neighbours that such a change could be carried out, and one maintained that, if such a step were resolved upon, it would have the tendency of causing the grocers to combine and form a large joint-stock company bakery, the same as was done in Glasgow several years ago under 3imilar circumstances, and which resulted in the men getting better paid and working shorter hours under the company than the bakers were able to afford, besides actually underselling the baker in the market. Upon the former question an important discussion took place, and a series of disclosures were made as to the practical working of the present long- hours" system by the journeyman bakers when the master'sback was turned, which would be almost sufficient to drive every one of our readers from using bread unless baked in his own family.- -Mr. Hales moved that a committee be formed to draw up a memorial for signature by the master bakers of Auckland, agreeing to a change in the present houra of labour in the baking trade, the memorial to be brought up and submitted to a future meeting. The motion was seconded and agreed to. — It was next moved, seconded, and carried that Messrs. Payne, McNeil, and Hales be the committee to carry out the foregoing resolution. After fixing the next meeting to be held on the evening of Tuesday week, at seven o'clock, at the same place, the meeting passed a vote of thanks to the chairman, and separated.