EMPLOYMENT OF CHILDREN.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXVII, Issue 18216, 2 October 1919, Page 6

EMPLOYMENT OF CHILDREN.

DAIRYMEN'S PROTEST. At the meeting of tho Dairymen’s Union at the Addington Saleyards yesterday afternoon, tho president (Mr H. Bliss, jun) said that ho had received the following reply from Mr F. W. Rowley, secretary of the Department of Labour, concerning the union’s resolution on tho question of the employment of child labour: —“Respecting tho employment or children on milk carts tho matter has been referred to mo for action. Tiie question of providing legislation to prohibit the employment for pecuniary gain of boys and girls attending 'school is, I believe, under consideration at tho present time. 1 would point out, however, that provision is already made in tho Canterbury Dairy Employees’ Award proll 1 biting the employment of any person under sixteen years of ago to drive on a milk van. Furthermore, no person under the ago of fourteen years, other than the members of the family, ore allowed to work in or about a dairy I would suggest that any cas© brought to your notice where girls or boys are employed in contravention of tho award should be reported to the officer-in-chirge, Labour Department, Christchurch, who will take action in tinmatter.” The president said that he had written to Mr Rowley that tho word “drive” tended to make the award ineffective. The children on the cams only “ assisted,” while bicycles were also used for delivery work, and therefore the Act was got past. He had also urged that members of families should bo brought under the award in regard to tho delivery of milk. Mr H. Anderson said that if this suggestion became operative it would affect about 85 per cent of the dairymen, and tho price of milk as a consequence would have to be increased- Ho paid his own son, who did delivery work, Iks od per week Mr M. Lorgelly saia ho knew a number of boys who had to get up at nve o’clock in tho morning for milk delivery work, and were only paid sixpence a morning He had milked ten or eleven cows a morning when he was thirteen years old.

Tho president said that his suggestion did not concern members of families working in or about a dairy. The letter was received.