SWEATED SYDNEY CLERKS.

Mataura Ensign, 15 March 1909, Page 4

SWEATED SYDNEY CLERKS.

AMAZING HEYEE.Vi'IO.NS. A lengthy and detailed report on the condition of clerical labor in New South Wales has been prepared by the I'liitetl' Clerks' I'liiou. It makes a great many serious allegations of sweating. It states authoritatively that "a vast: proportion of the people engaged in clerical work do not receive a wage suffilienl o maintain themselves in independence iu a single, condition; and the proportion of those who do not receive a living wage, as it is recognised as the minimum upon which it is possible lo maintain a household, is, of course far iu excess of this." There are instances, it, is alleged of men of 25 working for 12s fid a week, and others for 15s and 17s a week. "An amazing number of clerks" seem to remain at .CI per week until middle age. and in many eases : men trv to keep a wife and family on this wage. The average, wage lor adult male clerks is from 25s to.'!-)., per week, and an analysis of a ninth's advertisements iu the Svdnev press, in which staled salaries are olfered. showed that in ifnly six eases w-c, the salary £2 and over. In live of ihese eases- iwo of them for just £2- the clerk was expected to take entire charge of the nllice A certain law clerk of 27 receives 25s per week, and can see no chance of marrv nig the girl to whom he is engaged unless he wins monev bv "ambling. The liiehcst salaried man in the oflice gels C2, after tv.-enry veals' service Then, are men in ibo banks who alter thirty and forty years' service have not vet reached the salary on which marriage is permitted. In one bank a man of fifteen vears' service has '•climbed lo the giddy aflluence" of t!)0 a year. It came out in evidence reeentlv that the chief cashier of a bank, who had got into trouble over shortages in his cash, received Cl(is a year, the officer who succeeded him has since got: into similar trouble. I,aw clerks are said to fie perhaps the most sweated of all. In certain well known offices six clerks, varying In age from 23 to :iS, receive from 20s to 30s per week, and one of 26 is in:id 15s. Another clerk (what kind of office is not stated) complains tint In 15 years he lias never had a holiday, and when he asked for one he was told that his place could not be kepi open for him.