THE SWEATING COMMISSION.

Lyttelton Times, Volume LXXIII, Issue 9050, 12 March 1890, Page 6

THE SWEATING COMMISSION.

MORNING SITTING. The Commission resumed at 10 a.m. yesterday. The following evidence was taken : Joseph. Pickett, bricklayer, deposed that a number of bricklayers were in the habit of going together and taking jobs; and, instead of employing labour, doing all the work themselves. He knew of one man, with four or five sons, who used to take jobs in chimney building at a price at which it would not pay another man to take the work. This cutting of prices could only be prevented by preventing subcontracting. Mr Pulton pointed out that this was not a question between employer and employed. It must be dealt with by combination among the workmen themselves. Witness continued: There was a great deal too much juvenile labour in the building trade. Knew of workmen who could nob get work, but were kept by the labour of their sons. Bricklayers’ wages were 10s to 12s a-day, and bricklayers’ labourers were paid Is an. hour. The men who combined and took piece-work sometimes only made 6s a-day. There were no master builders or master bricklayers here. There was very little work going on, and what little was done was being done almost for nothing. The practice of calling for tenders for labour only was highly detrimental to labourers, for such tenders could only be taken by gangs of men, and the prices at which they took the work were too low to yield proper wages.

EVENING SITTING. The Commission resumed at 7.30. The following evidence was taken BOOTMAKERS. A bootmaker, employed in a factory: Belonged to the Union. Previously had been working in a non-Union shop. Complained of having been discharged, with others, for belonging to the Union. As a non-Unionist earned from £1 to £1 ss, working fifty hours a week. Now as a Unionist earned from .£1 5s to £1 10s for forty-eight hours a week. In a nonUnionist shop boys were kept in full work, while the men had to go. In the clickers the proportion of boys to men was one to one and a half; clickers, two boys to one man; finishers, one boy to one man. This was to the detriment of the married men. On common Blucher boots the non-Unionist shops paid 2d a pair (or 20 per cent) less than Union shops; on women’s ordinary, youths’, and children’s. Id less. The workroom in the non-Union shop was very hot in summer, the roof being low and of galvanised iron. An operative bootmaker: Did not know of any sweating, as understood in London, in the male departments of the Union shops, but in the female departments there was a kind of sweating. A lot of work was given out to middlemen, who employ labour on their own premises, and made a profit. This applied to all sorts of machinists’ work. In one shop there was what he considered sweating. The girls were paid lower wages than in other shops, and at the end of the month were supposed to receive bonuses, but in many instances did not, and thus worked at less than ordinary current wages. This applied to about forty girls. Witness was repeating what he had been told and believed. Knew a case of the masters attempting to boycott a man who had been an officer in the Union. Considered forty-eight hours should be a week’s work for all trades, and should be so fixed by Act of Parliament. The minimum, wage for juveniles should be fixed by Act, in order to prevent boys working for nothing, and also the proportion of apprentices to adults. DRAPERS’ ASSISTANTS.

A shop hand in a drapery establishment : Had been nine years in the trade. Shop hands were unanimous in desiring six o’clock closing. Witness gave evidence similar to that given by former witnesses in tbe same line of business. Another drapers’ assistant considered that his class were better off in Ireland than in New Zealand. TAILOBS’ LADS. A lad, employed at tailoring, stated that in a certain shop in town the hours were supposed to he from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., but the employees worked till 10 and 11 p.m. Seven boys were working at this place during the time witness was there. Now there were eleven or twelve boys. The employer was the only man engaged at work there. Witness’ wages were nine shillings a week at first, and were increased to thirty shillings last year after five years’ work. Never got overtime, but sometimes his master gave him a shilling or two. Some of the other boys got five shillings a week. The boys had to darn stockings and do household work, ironing, &c. This system had been carried on for eleven years. The boys were bound as apprentices, but not taught the trade well. The apprentices when out of their time were not fit to take a first-class place. Witness had to go as an improver for eighteen months after he left his employer, though he had served fully five years as an apprentice. Another lad corroborated the evidence of this witness.

A lad of about eighteen years of age: Had worked for a tailor who kept him at work from 5 a.m. to 9 p.m. Had been at work four years. At first got 5s a week, and after about twelve months 6s a week. Was not paid overtime, but sometimes—very seldom—got sixpence for himself. Once got 2s 6d as a Christmas-box from his master, who was a very religious man. No journeyman was employed there. The hours of work were very long. Never saw the Inspector at the factory.

DRTSALTERS. A drysalter: Was at present locked out from H. Berry and Co.’s because he had joined a Labour Union. The hours varied from teu to eleven hours a day. The trade was converting sheep-runners to sausage skins. Was discharged because he asked for more wages for overtime and had joined a Union. Another drysalter, also locked out from Berry and Co.’s, gave corroborative evidence. The Commission then adjourned.