AN EMPLOYEES SOCIETY.

Evening Star, Issue 7237, 13 June 1887, Page 4

AN EMPLOYEES SOCIETY.

TO THE EDITOB. SlB, —In your paper the other evening I noticed a letter advocating a change in the hours of employment for those who are engaged in places of badness. I have been convinced of the necessity of such a change being brought about from more than one point of view, I find employe i of both sexes are engaged in all kinds of business from Sam. till 9 p.m., with very irregular hours for lunch. In some instances I have come across shop-hands engaged from 8 a.m. till 2 p.m. without a chance of getting relief. I think if 'Parliament cannot be got to pans a law prohibiting employes being longer than nine hours employed during any one day, that employes in the various kinds of business houses had better form themselves into an “Employes’ Association,” and arrange the hours as they may see fit, as well as the salaries to be paid. It has become so customary to engage girls or boys behind the counter or in the office, instead of men or women, and pay them a decent salary, that something must be done towards self-protection. The hours of any place of business should not bo longer than from 8 a.m. till 6 p.m., except Saturday, which could be extended till 8 p.m., but no longer. As it is, fruiterers, confectioners, and a few others seldom close before 11.30 or 12.30 p.m. If these short and reasonable hours were observed larrikinism would soon die out, and sickliness among shop hands be unknown. The habit of grasping has become so common that business people have become cruel task masters. Even the Factory Act has become a dead 1 tter, as in many places dressmaking is carried on long after the hours allowed by the law ; yet no one seems to care. Sut if there IS a combination of employ6s this state of affairs weald not last long.—l am, etc., A.M.P. Dunedin, June 13.