SATURDAY HALF-HOLIDAY MOVEMENT.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XVIII, Issue 6212, 14 October 1881, Page 6

SATURDAY HALF-HOLIDAY MOVEMENT.

* MEETING OF BUILDERS. A meeting of those engaged in the building trade —employers and employed, was held yesterday evening in the Lorne-street Hall. There was a very large attendance, as the subject to be brought under consideration —that of adopting the Saturday half-holi-day—was of great interest. The hall was well filled. Mr. George McColl was voted to the chair, and on the platform with him were Messrs. W. G. Connelly, C. S. Wright, Holland, Constable, Shailer, and Jenkinson. The Chairman read the advertisement convening the meeting. He would not detain the meeting with a lengthy speech. He believed several resolutions would be placed before them, and he might state that in his opinion it would be well to carry out the views indicated in the advertisement. He thought one of the grandest things for working men that ever happened was the establishment of the eight-hour system, and there was no fear that it would be encroached on by any action that would be taken this evening. One of two to whom he had spoken seemed to fear this, but both buildersand workmen had got such a firm hold of the eight-hour system that they would not lose it. He thought, indeed, that at some time in the future the hours of labour might be still further shortened, so that working men might have more time to train their minds and improve their positions. As to the half-holiday many now enjoyed it. Now he would not detain them longer but ask some gentlemen to propose a resolution. Mr. \V. G. CoS'NELLV said as the chairman had told them they were met that evening for a very worthy object, to get the adoption of the Saturday half-holiday system made universal through the building trade. Numbers had been carrying it out for some time past, but if they went into it properly they would have some system. He was told that the bootmakers now knocked off at 1 o'clock on Saturday, and some of the builders had for years past knocked off at 12 o'clock, and had always found it successful. Now all these things only required a trial, and they would find this to work admirably to both men and masters. He had tried it for the last nine years, and would not change it. He moved, "That in the opinion of this meeting it is desirable to alter the working hours of mechanics, so as to leave off work at 12 o'clock on Saturday." He hoped she meeting i would give the matter patient consideration. ! Some thought this was a sehems to get SJ [ hours' work from the men, but they had no such idea, nor could they carry it out if they j tried. Mr. T. Maitlasd seconded the resolution. Mr. T. Pooley said he had not come to the meeting for his own interest, but that of his fellow workmen. If once they broke the eight hour system, they would deserve all they got. (Cheers and hisses.) He had been here for the last seventeen years, and saw no reason why they should break up the system which had worked so well, and if they gave their sanction to it, they would never cease to regret it. To adopt this resolution, they would have to begin work earlier or break into their dinner hour. If breaking the present system was countenanced, it could be easily broken again, for it would become the rule to break it. There was no reason to be dissatisfied with the present system, but if once they broke it, they would never I get it again. If they wanted a half-hcliday, now was the time to get it. Employers in Queen-street gave their employes a halfholiday on Saturday, and he did not see why the building trade should not get it, without having to make up the time. He pointed out the great inconvenience which would arise if they had to start work earlier, and thought the employers should give them the half-holiday without this. The Chairman drew the attention of the speaker to the fact that there was nothing in the resolution about making up the time. Mr. Guird said he had tried this system of the Saturday half-holiday now for some time, with satisfaction to himself and his fellow workmen, and, as an old workman of more than double seventeen years, and one who had been active in securing the eighthour system, he might tell the meeting that he for one would not go back to the system of working till -i o'clock on Saturday afternoon, if he could help it. He would resist any encroachment on the eight-hour system, bnt what wa3 proposed was no encroachment on it. He found the Saturday afternoon a great advantage to him in many ways, and if once they tried it they would not go back to the present system if they could help it. Mr. Byrne cautioned the meeting to look well before them before they let the present eight-hour system go. It had not been explained what good this half-holiday would do the,working man. (Question.) Suppose a man had to be at his work at half past 7 o'clock, and have to go, say, to Eemuera in the winter time, could it, he asked, be accomplished ? It was, he thought, getting in the thin end of the wedge, and in less than twelve months they would be asked to sanction something worse. He could not see that the proposed change would be any benefit to the working man. Mr. Keane (Keane and Jenkinson) said the eight-hour system was no doubt good, but why not have something better if they could ? He for the last three summers had adopted the system of the Saturday halfholiday, and his men would not now go back to the old system if he tried. He pointed out the great advantage to a working man of having the Saturday afternoon to enjoy himself or to till his garden, and said it would

be- better-.for theni-to-bave-it-«ven-if they gave for it half an hour at dinner time. As for going from the eight-hour.system, that, he hoped, could not be done in this country. (Cheers.) Mr. Jeijne asked for an explanation as to how the time was to be made up. The CHAntMAK said that the resolution only affirmed the desirability of having the Saturday afternoon holiday. The method of making up the time was quite in their own j hands. One aspect of the question had not been touched on. In England the system was to work so many hours a week. Here the number of hours was 47, and let them stick to that. He for one would be the last to stand on a platform and advocate anything detrimental to the interests of the working man. Mr. Neylon said he did not know whether he was in order in speaking to this resolution, as it only referred to mechanics, but mechanics could not work without labour. He thought they should not infringe on the present eight-hoursystem. Theresolutionwas so worded that they might have to lose half a day a week. He regretted that the conveners did not take a wider field and include all labour, and bring in' a scheme for paying wages on Friday so as to relieve others engaged in mercantile pursuits by permitting marketing to be done on Friday. He did not believe the conveners had any idea of interfering with the eight-hour eystem, for the best feeling had always existed between the builders and their employe's. He wished the same could be said of excavators and other contractors. The Chairman said the next resolution would deal with the question of making up the time. There was no wish to pin the meeting to the resolution which had been proposed. If the meeting was in favour of the present system of working till 4 o'clock on Saturday afternoon, and negatived the resolution, that would be the end of the matter. He then put the resolution, which was carried by a large majority of the meeting, no hands being held up against it, and the result was received with cheers.

Mr. Hollan-d then moved, "That the working day commence at 7.30 a.m., and work up to 5 o'clock p.m. for the first five days and up to 12 o'clock on Saturdays." He was surprised to hear the remarks of some of the previous speakers, for he thought this would be one of the greatest boons to working men. He denied that there was any intention to infringe on the eight-hour system, and did not want in the thin end of the wedge to upset it, for he was fonder of the eight-hoursystem than anyone. He did not think any of his men would now go back to the former system of working till 4 o'clock on Saturday. He had carried out the halfholiday system during the winter, and found it a great advantage, and he saw no objection to starting work at half-past 7 o'clock to secure it. He had great pleasure in moving the resolution. (Cheers.) Mr. James Craig seconded the resolution. Mr. Shailer said he was not in favour of the change, although his name was to the advertisement convening the meeting, and he hoped they would vote' with judgment. New Zealand had been blessed with the eight-hour system, and he would not wish to see it broken.

Mr. Langley also spoke against the motion, and pointed out the inconvenience of having to start work at half-past 7 o'clock. Mr. PooLKYmovedas an amendment, "That for the first five days of the week the working hours be as at present, from 8 to 5 o'clock, and on Saturdays from 8 to 1 o'clock, thus making the working honrs of the week 45 instead of 47." Mr. Tutley seconded the amendment. A speaker in the hall asked whether, if this amendment was carried, the builders would carry it out ? He came to oppose the resolution. He had never worked the extra i half-hour in the morning, and never would, but at the same time he would like to get the half-holiday. If they cculd not get it without working the extra half-hour in the morning they would be better without it. Mr. C. S. Wright, in supporting the resolution, said they might make up their minds the men would never get two hours a week for nothing. The contractors could not afford it, so they might disabuse their minds of that. He advised them to give the system proposed a trial, and if they did not like it they could throw it aside. Mr. Crouch, who had tried the 7.30 system, spoke favourably of it, and supported the motion. Mr. Jenkinson* pointed out the disadvantages of the proposed system in the jobbing trade. Mr. Leydon spoke strongly in favour of the resolution, and ridiculed the idea of claiming two hours' pay from their employers which they did not earn. Mr. Connelly, in speaking to the motion, pointed out that only those who had not tried the Saturday half-holiday system spoke against it, while those •who had given it a trial were all in favour of it. The system which he had adopted was not exactly that proposed in the resolution. His men started work at a quarter to S and a quarter to 1, thus making up"the half-hour. He thought Mr. Pooley, in moving the amendment, must have done bo in a spirit of burlesque, for although he j set himself up as a working man, he was an employer of labour. Mr. Pooley replied on his amendment, aud Mr. Turtley also spoke in support of it. Several others addressed the meeting for and against the proposition. Finally the amendment was put and lost. Mr. Jamihson then moved as a further amendment "That they commence at a quarter to S and at a quarter to 1 o'clock, having three-quarters of an hour for dinner instead of an hour." Mr. Gr/IRD aud Mr. Wright spoke against the amendment, which was put to the meeting and lost, and the original motion was carried by a large majority. Mr. Wright moved, "That a deputation from the meeting be formed with a view to request all employers of labour to adopt the foregoing resolutions, and to report this night month." Mr. Connolly seconded this motion, and it was carried. On the motion of Mr. Leydon, the chairman and Messrs. Connolly, Wright, Constable, Holland, Shailer, and Jenkinson were appointed a deputation in accordance with the foregoing resolution. Mr. Wright then moved, " That all employers of labour attending this meeting, who are in favour of the second resolution, be requested to commence the system at once." The motion was carried with cheers.

Mr. Connolly said he would like to see the system of paying wages on Friday adopted. He fouud it very advantageous. Mr. Rhodes said he would like to second the resolution, but thought, in order that they might have time to consider it, that they should postpone it till next meeting. The Chairman said it would be unfair to those who were not present at the meeting to bring on any other business. Messrs. Wright aud Holland said they were quite willing to pay wages on Friday if requested to do so by their men. A vote of thanks to the chairman terminated the proceedings.