ALLEGED SWEATING.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLV, Issue 13666, 6 February 1908, Page 3

ALLEGED SWEATING.

TELEGRAPH BOY WRITES TO "■ LABOUR COUNCIL. "Os behalf ';' of '■• the " suburban telegraph messengers I respectfully Council's assistance in removing an injustice under which we are now labouring,'' wrote one signing himself " One of the Oppressed," to last evening's ,"meeting of, the Trades and Labour. Council. The writer stated that the Telegraph "Department compelled "the oppressed" to work 15 hours on Christmas Eve, also four 'hours on' Christmas Day, and another four hours, on" Boxing Day without payment of overtime. "As iwe .are: only boys," he continued, " the Department evidently thinks that it can work us at any time, or any hours, .it chooses. If we had been working for a private employer the Labour Department would have seen justice done, but as we are working for a Government Department we are at a loss as to what course to pursue. The Department has been approached in the matter, and up to the present has done nothing for us." Mr. Spratt (Fishermen's Union) thought that this was another example of the sweating that went on in the Government service. He considered that the time had arrived when they, as a Council, should let the Government know that such a state of affairs would not be tolerated.

The Chairman (Mr. Rosser) considered that something definite should be done, and he moved as follows:" That this Council notices with deep regret that a Government, which has placed on the Statute Book many laws ameliorating the condition of the workers in the Dominion, sweats its workers, especially in the Post-master-General's Department, as . indicated in the letter from the telegraph, messen--8-" '. . The motion was, • carried unanimously, and it was decided to forward a copy of "it to the Postmaster-General.