COOKS AND WAITERS.

Evening Post, Volume LXXV, Issue 48, 26 February 1908, Page 2

COOKS AND WAITERS.

POSITION IN CIIIIISTCHURCH. - FROM.THE POINT OF VIEW OF LABOUR.

Mr. E. J. Carey, secretary of the Cooks and Waiters' Union, arrived back from Christchurch this morning, where he has been on an orga lising tour in connection with his union. To a Post reporter Mr. Carey, expressed himself well .satisfied with tho results of his visit to the southern city. He had, he said, aiccoeded in forming tho Canterbury Hotel and Restaurant Employoes' Union, with a membership of 56 at its inception. The first meeting hnd been hold and the union was now fairly well established. The Hon. J. Burr, M.L.C., had been elected president and Mr. R. S. Bailey, secretary of the Christchurch Trades Council, had undertaken the duties of secretaryship until such timo as tho union was- in a position to elect its own permanent secretary. The other offices had all been filled by men holding good position in the trado, and there was every prospect of tho union being successful. The working conditions of this particular trado in Chrietchurch, Sir. Carey eaid, were capable of much improvement. Whilo in some- of the* smaller hotels the workprs recoived higher wage 1 ? ily.m those provided for in tho Wellington award, the hours in all hotels wore long, especially in the larger hotels. From thirteen to fourteen hours a day appeared to be the average number of hours worked, according to Mr. Oarpy. Tho ftalutory half-holiday wan much ap- . predated and was being general!}- well obsei^vod. He liiul made personal enquiries about tho registry offices for hotel workers conducted by the Licenced Victualler*' Association, ant! 1 ho believed it was the intention of tho apsociati6n to discontinue the offico altogether in the near future. Tho hotclkcepcrs in Christchuvch seemed to take a very toufiblc -view of tho introduction of unionism into their calling and lecorriiteed that thei'e were grievances on tho side of tho worker*. Ihcro was almost a certainty of an amicable agreement being arrived at between tho new union and tho association though nothing official had yot been clone in that direction. Mr. Carpy was improved with the lack of vim displayed by trado union officials in Cluifilduu'ch. Unions covering laigo industries, and having a prcferonco clause in Ihoir respective nuarda, wcru tirugglins; alonij with a meagre membership, whilst fully two-thirds of tho workers employed m ihoso industries were outside the ranks of tho union. This wa j mainly due to ihe fact that there were no paid .•■•eur&tarics ov other union ofiieiah with enough timo to do\ote to tho enforcement of tho preference clauses and other business of the unions. He belicvd that if the Christchurch unions were properly managed, their mrmbcrfhip would increase enormously. Politically, howcter, tho position was just tho reVHi'Fe. Much activity wa^ 3hown in all quarters. The Political Labour League was a very live body, and there scorned to be an unwritten arrangement between it and the Socialist party in connection with the coming election campaign. It was generally understood that the league would run three and the .'socialists two candidates next eleciio/i, and thai the is-suc would resolve itself into a ftraight-out contest in all but ono of tho five electorates in tho clibtrict between tho isooialiiris and tlio lc:it*ue candidates (on ono hklp) and tho four (jilting members (on the other) uho air credited virh hating the fupport of the Workers' J'olitii'al Association ancj. th ; JCibfltr<l_ md • •L.tbaav*