EMPLOYMENT CONDITIONS

Greymouth Evening Star, 13 September 1934, Page 12

EMPLOYMENT CONDITIONS

(TO THE EDITOR.] Sir, —May I crave a little space in your paper to give a word of warning to mothers who are seeking employment for their boys. Some six or seven years ago, I considered myself very fortunate in being able to place one of my boys with a well-known firm in Greymouth. He commenced as errand boy at 15/- per week. He naturally thought his wages would advance with his age and experience, but he was sadly disappointed. Though he,has a thorough knowledge of his trade, and has been serving behind the counter for years, his wages have increased only 10/- per week in six years. Each time he asked for a rise, he was told there was no award governing the wages in a wholesale business and was asked how he would like to be put off altogether with two brothers out of work. In the end, at the age of 21i and earning the princely wage of £l/3/9 (after deducting the unemployment levy, of 1/3) he has been compelled to find employment elsewhere, having wasted nearly seven years of his life “learning a trade.” I would advise any mother, before placing her boy to see that there is a law governing his wages and not to trust to any man’s