THE SWEATING COMMISSION.

New Zealand Times, Volume LI, Issue 8967, 18 April 1890, Page 2

THE SWEATING COMMISSION.

The sitting of the Sweating Commission was resumed’ yesterday morning, Mr J. Fulton, M.H.E. (Chairman of the Commission) presiding. Mr D, P. Fisher was also present. Mr J. 11. Blair was unavoidably absent. GK London, secretary of the Wellington Branch of the Amalgamated Society of Railway Servants, stated that one grievance the railway people bad was the absence of payment of board and lodging allowance. With the exception of guards.'all the service wore without board and lodging allowance. It a driver was sent from Wellington to the Upper Hutt on temporary service he would be provided with a box truck in which a bunk end stove were fitted up, but he had to provide food and cooking utensils. This was a hardship which should be remedied by a money payment, as was the case at one time. There were bridge gangs who had to live in trucks, and they thought they should have some money allowance in consideration of the inconvenience and discomfort of living in trucks. The men felt aggrieved because' the officers were so well treated, the clerks, inspectors, and foremen receiving as much as from 7a fid to 10s per night travailing allowance. There was a grievance in reference to the employment of boys. At the Wellington Station now 75 per cent, of the traffic hands employed on the platform were lads ranging from 16 to 19 years of age. Several accidents would have occurred through the boys’ carelessness but for the men’s watchfulness. The men ob. jeoted to this extra responsibility being put upon them, and they were leaving the department whenever a favourable opportunity occurred. The lad element extended right through the whole of the running department. The regulation provided that the boys employed as cleaners shonld be on duty for 12 hours at night, and it was contended that the work was highly injurious for them. The employment of boys had not extended to the Permanent Way Department in Wellington, for the reathey could not get the boys. Lads were quite unfitted for the work, and, in his opinion, their health must give way. The guards complained that the hours they worked were far too long—they had to work about ISA hours each day, but in consideration of the long hours were allowed one day’s holiday in each week. The engine drivers contend that the regulations should ba so framed that when a man got off his engine he should not ba called upon to work again for at least 12 hours. On the Wallirgton-Lower Halt section some of the drivers worked about 18 hours at a ntrethb, and after an interval of about five hours they were called upon to resume work. On Wednesdays and Saturdays the arrangements were such that the drivers could not obtain an interval of more than five or six hours for sleep. In the workshops a man was supposed to work 48 hours a week, and if through illness or other unavoidable circumstances he happened to be absent for a couple of days ho had to make np bis full 48 hours before he was entitled to receive overtime. The sanitary arrangements at the Pitone workshops were unsatisfactory, especially with regard to the privies, ■Wages were smaller than those for less permanent work outside. Joiners got 9s a day, and in outside work they would get 10s; fitters got from 9a to 10s per day, about the same as outside rates, and labourers 6s fid. Engine drivers received from 10s to 13s per day, according to experience. Permanent\vt*y haaud got Ca 6d per day* and they

thought they were entitled to 7s, besides | extra consideration for overtime, A shirtmaker stated that she employed five girls in her house and four outside. She received Ca 6d for making cotton shirts, 7s 6d for union, and 9s 6d for Crimean, and she found all material. She supplied the machines and all material to her hands, and gave them 4s per dozen for cotton shirts, 4s Gd for union, and 5s Gd for Crimean, The girls worked from 8 a.m. till 5.30, and she did not allow them to take any work home. Some months ago she made shirts for a tradesman for 3s 9d per dozen, and found her own cotton. She lost money at this. The tradesman received the same money for the shirts that she was now receiving—Gs Gd per dozen. Had known of instances in which women had taken shirts at the same price as that given by witness, and given them out to other women to make up at Gd less. It took a very smart hand now to earn Gd an hour at shirtmaking Mrs stated that her daughter had been apprenticed at a large establishment in the city for twelve months without pay, and that at the end of that period she was discharged, as the firm could not afford to pay her. No fault was found with her daughter, who she considered had been crueliy treated. A tailor stated that in his trade they were supposed to work from 8 a.m, to 6 p.m., but often they began work at 4 a.m. on Monday and worked till 11 p.m. They worked these hours each succeeding night until Friday, and they worked up till 2 p.m. on Saturday. The work fluctuated a great deal, and they worked these late hours through a rush of work, and from a desire to earn as mnch as possible. Could earn about 9d per hour at some classes of work, and as much as Is 3d at others. Nearly every draper in town took orders, and handed them to the manufacturers, who cut the clothes out, and then gave the work out to the hands kept by them, or to girls and women who made the clothes up at home. The drapers received orders for a suit at £3. The material for this suit would cost about Us and lining 3s. The trousers and vest would each cost 2s to make, and the coat 4s, the total cost being £1 2s, For a £5 5s suit, such as would be made up at his shop, the material would cost £1 10s 3d ; lining, 7s 6d; the cost of making the trousers, 8a Gd ; vest, 7s 9d; and coat, £1 3s Gd; making a total of £3 I7s Gd. The better class of work was not sweated. The practice of working all night prevailed at other shops. The Tailors’ Union had had the effect of preventing the prices being reduced, and it had been the means of preventing men taking work home, to be done by their wives and sisters while they walked about. The next witness was a young shirtmaker, who stated that she had been paid 5s per week, working from 8 am. to 8.30 and 9 p.m. Within these hours she could make about a dozen shirts, Recently she had only worked from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Had received Is 3d a gross for making flour bags, working from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. She used to make about 8s a week at this work. Had taken shirts home to " finish ” them, receiving 9d per doz. It took her about three hours to finish a dozen shirts, Was on piecework now, and for one full week she had earned 10s. She was living with her parents. The room witness worked in was well lighted and clean. At 4.30 the Commissioners adjourned till next morning.