SWEATING COMMISSION.

New Zealand Times, Volume LI, Issue 8968, 19 April 1890, Page 2

SWEATING COMMISSION.

The Commission resumed at 10 a.m. yesterday. THE BOOTMAKING TRADE. Luke Browatt, a representative of the Bootmakers’ Society, said there was no sweating in the trade here so far as the Society shops were concerned. The men were mostly on piece, except foremen over boys. The proportion was one boy to four men. The hours of the men were 50 per weak, and In constant employment d man would earn from £2 5s to £2 15s per week ; but work was sometimes slack. Boys started at €s, he believed, and were raised 2a 6d every year, being bound for five years; they could also make a percentage extra. The Union had done a great deal of good, having fixed the rate of wages. He had a grievance with respect to accommodation,. but would rather leave that to the Inspector than say anything about it. While there was no legal provision he would not blame the masters for putting the men close together. He thought provision should be made ogainst overcrowding and in favour of improved ventilation. T. G. Kershaw, another bootmaker, employed by Mr Tracy (and also representing the Society), informed the Commission that lie had worked 50hours a week on piece, and did not make less than 50s per week. Two other men were employed in the shop—no boys. Considered the workshops of the city generally fairly good, excepting in one case, where a finishers’ room was not, in his opinion, large enough. That room was lift x 17ft, and there were 12 men working in it. There was another shop also which he considered a bad one. Had never since be came to New Zealand seen an inspector in a factory. Was sure the Union bad done good to the trade, having fixed a uniform wage and regulated the number of boys. Some time ago the proportion was 12 boys to every two men. Generally speaking, the trade bad no grievance. The shops were fairly good and greatly improved during the last few years. Mr Blair pointed out that the married men in the trade would have sous, and ho asked whether the Society had ever considered the question of the disposal of boys ? Mr Kershaw said that if a fair proportion of the boya were put to outside labour they would not crowd the factories. The trouble was that all the boys were sent into the trades, beyond their legitimate proportion. It amounted to this, that if you brought more boys in the men must go oat ; and the men were better able to keep the boys than the boys to keep the men. The witness was examined at some length ■on this question, the principal of his replies being that the number of boys bad to be limited for the improvement of the trade, and that the Society bad done its best to work out the question of the disposal of boys. In reply to Mr Blair, he said he approved the principle of established arbitration, providing that men of practical knowledge could be obtained as arbitrators, •otherwise it would be better to appoint arbitrators as the emergency arose. Sinr.TMAKERS’ GRIEVANCES. Mrs a sbirtmaker, stated that she was employed as a sbirtmaker, having work given out to her by a woman who got it from the warehouse. She did cotton shirts, and was paid 2a 6d a dozen for making, and another la 6d if she finished them. She could make and finish a dozen shirts a day. Was perfectly satisfied with the prices paid to her. Generally speaking, without spend ing all her time at the work, she earned about 10s per week. In London sho was employed in a warehouse, principally in costume work, and got las week. She only did shirtmaking when other work was scarce. Having a husband, the witness simply did this work for pastime and to get a little pooket money. On the previous day she had sewn 144 bags, which took her from 8 to 1. with some interruptions, and for which sho got a shilling. A young woman employed on the same terms, and by the same persona-said she was not satisfied with the it would not be possible to earn a living at it. She lived with her parents, but could not pay her board if it were necessary. A dozen shirts a day were considered good work. What money she earned ( f rom 10s to 15s a week j she Lad for pocket-money, j

The next -witness was a man who takes work from the warehouses, principally in the way af shirtmaking. He was paid 6s-6d per dozen for common shirts and 8s 6d and 9s Gd for the better classes. He himself simply cut out the articles, and employed some girls on his premises and gave some work out. He paid 3s 9d for making common shirts, the prices for others running up to 5s Gd and 6d. For dungaree trousers he was paid Is 2d, and paid 10d. The women who worked for him averaged from 15s to 2os a week. He did not employ anybody under 21 years of age. The cutting out, which he did himself, was worth about, la a dozen, and carriage and trimmings would run to about Is Gd a dozen. He would probably get through 30 or 35 dozen per week. A woman who bad already been examined took some work from him at 3s 0d per dozen for the commonest shirts, and whether that person let the work out again he did not know. SADDLERS. Henry Dowling, a saddler employed by Mr Wiggins, said his hours were from 8 to 6, piecework, and he was paid for allovertime at day rates. In a full week he would earn about £3. Nine men and four boys were ( employed in the shop, and be thought Mr Wiggins was the only saddler in New Zealand who had a fair proportion of boys and men. In other Wellington shops and in other parts of New Zealand they employed large numbers of boys. Boy labour was the grievance of the trade, and unless something was done men would lose their employment. Another witness corroborated this evidence, and urged the necessity for some regulation of the manner in which apprentices are taught their trade. The Commissioners adjourned at 1 o’clock till 2.30. A TRAM DRIVER’S HOURS. An ex-tram driver said that when in that employmenthe workedon one day from6a.m. to 7.30 p.ro. ; the next -from 7.20 a.m. to midnight, the next from 7.45 a.m. to about 8.20 p.m., and the next from 8.3 a.m. to 8,30 p.m. It was about eight months since ho was driving for the Company. His wages were £9 a month, and the conductors, who worked the same hours, got £4, £5, and £6 a mouth, the latter including commission. As a stableman, the witness would start a.m. and work on alternate nights fill 5 p.m. or 8 p.m., with an hour for dinner and tea. and 40 minutes for breakfast, except on Saturdays, when the time was reduced. On Sundays the grooms had about the same hoars, except that they had a couple of hours in the afternoon, The drivers -and conductors, he believed, worked on alternate Sundays. No overtime was paid. The witness, having worked on the Dunedin tramways, considered the management there better than in Wellington. You were never done ; after your ord’nary work, yon might have to take a “ special ” out without extra pay. The last three days he was in the service he worked 15, 'lO, and 17 hours. To Mr Blair : He did not know whether the tramway was a paying concern. Two extra men would give sufficient relief to the grooms and drivers, with two boys to relieve the conductors. He believed the hours were worse now than when he left. At 4 o’clock the Commission adjourned.