SWEATING COMMISSION’S REPORT.

New Zealand Times, Volume LI, Issue 8991, 16 May 1890, Page 3

SWEATING COMMISSION’S REPORT.

“NO SWEATING.” FINDINGS AND RECOMMENDATIONS. . , The report of the Sweating Commission, which was made public yesterday, sets forth that the Commissioners had been obliged to content themselves with voluntary witnesses, in view of the probable result of the dismissal of persons summoned compulsorily. This circumstance will account for the absence of evidence on points which they would have inquired into. The Commissioners had received willing assistance from the local inspectors of factories, officers of labour unions—notably in Dunedin and Wellington—and had personally inspected the condition of some of the factories and workshops. Most of the latter were fairly good, some very good, and others “exceedingly defective, both in their construction and in their sanitary arrangements.” The material part of the report is as follows : With satisfaction we report that the system known in London and elsewhere as “ sweating,” and which seemed at one time likely to obtain a footing in some of our cities, does not exist. It is true there are complaints in many cases of long hours and of reduced rates of pay, but these seem almost inevitable wherever competition is keen, unless checked by a healthy public opinion. The following facts have been brought out by our inquiries : First, as regards the Employment of Females Act—

1. (a) That this Act is, as regards locality, very diversely administered. In Auckland, for instance, as witnessed by ourselves, and as testified by the evidence brought before us, and by the report of the local inspector, this Act may bo said in many of its requirements to be a dead-letter. (We call especial attention to the report of Sergeant Gamble, showing the difficulties under which he works.) We found there boys of ten, eleven, and twelve working in factories without any attempt at concealme at, while the regulation as to the hours of employment was quietly ignored. One of these boys could not read, and others had passed but the first, second, or third standard, (b.) That many of its provisions are vague and badly defined, and some wanting in elasticity. Clause 3 provides for ventilation, but does not attempt to define it or to provide a penalty where it is insufficient. Clause 7 provides for the closing of the factory during meal times,, but makes no provision for necessary accommodation specially needful in wet weather. Clause 5 limits absolutely the hours of labour, without giving the Chief Inspector or the Resident Magis trate power to grant permits on special occasions to work longer hours under strictly-defined regulations as to wages arid time, (c.) That the inspectors appointed under it have insufficient powers. They cannot, for instance, compel instant admission, nor obtain a conviction for delay. They cannot themselves exercise the functions of a sanitary inspector or inspector of nuisances. These are but samples of the deficiencies of this Act, but a perusal of the reports of the inspectors and of their evidence will show under what difficulties they labour. 2. That a number of persons are engaged for very long hours—in many cases, w& believe, unnecessary! 3. That there is a continucd demand onthe part of shop assistants, backed up ini a great many cases by their employers, for early closing, and that the majority of them seem to think that this can only be secured permanently by law. It is only necessary to note the variety of opinion expressed by those in the forefront of this movement to see with how many difficulties the question is surrounded. 4. That the division of labour and the use of machinery have led to the employment of a larger number of youths and girls than were formerly engaged in the trades. The skill of the individual worker under these new conditions not being required of so high or comprehensive an order, it was inevitable that those engaged in keen competition should “m----p!oy the cheapest labour at their command —cheapest not only because the supply was larger than the demand, but also because it required little previous training. 5. That the employment of these young persons to the exclusion of skilled and trained workers is the chief grievance among artisans in the various trades. Where trades-unions have been formed the proportion of lads to men has been strictly defined —in some cases with the avowed intention of keeping up the supply of skilled workers, but in the majority of cases only with a view to self-preserva-tion, and without regard to the larger question of finding employment for the hundreds of youths growing up in our midst. It would appear that the system of indenturing apprentices for a specific term has fallen, generally speaking, into disuse. In the trades especially in which young women are employed, such as millinery and dressmaking, it is not unusual for young girls to give their services for the first year for- nothing, and the second year-for 5s a week. At the end of that time, if .they ask for an increase of wages, they are, in many instances, - discharged, and other young girls are taken on in -their places. The result is, that number of young persons -who'have had; a very limited training are yearly led. to seek work elsewhere as improvers, or to set up cn their own account—in either case at low wages. In the mechanical trades for men the same system to a large extent prevails : boys called apprentices, but not indentured, begin at low wage, and there is nothing to prevent their being discharged by the master, or leaving of their own accord, without a sufficient knowledge of their trade They, however, go into competition with other journeymen, not only, as is alleged, to the discredit of the craft by their inefficiency, but to the cutting-down of wages. 6. We have had brought to our notice the disabilities under which sub-contrac-tors labour, in that they have no lien upon the building or work upon which they are engaged. We understand that in America the law enables them to obtain security, and we think this is a subject which should receive the attention of Parliament,

7. There are two subjects which, although perhaps they do not come entirely within the scope of our inquiry, we feel justified in calling attention to—viz,, the alleged grievances of the railway servants, and the long hours of many bank and mercantile clerks. Papers referring to these will be found with appendix, 8. The evidence eb a whole goes to

show that, in whatever branch of industry a Union has been formed, the condition of the operatives has improved, wages do not sink below a living minimum, and the hours of work, are not excessive. 9. Complaints having been made about the charges exacted in some instances by keepers of labour registry-offices, and grievances suffered by & class of workers little able to protect themselves having been disclosed, we would recommend that all labour-offices in the Colony be registered and regulated under Act of Parliament. RECOMMENDATIONS. 10. The following recommendations are based chiefly upon a review of the state of things as revealed by the evidence. 11. Any now or amended Factory Act should include amongst others the following provisions ; —All factories, workrooms. and places where work for hire is executed, irrespective of the number of workers employed, shall be registered, and the inspector shall satisfy himself as to the sanitary and other arrangements necessary for the health and morals of the workers ; and without his sanction no factory shall be registered. 12. A certain number of cubic feet, as determined by expert evidence, shall be allowed for each worker.

13. The Government shall provide the Inspectors of Factories under the Acts with a form of table to be forwarded with their annual reports, showing the number of adults and young persons employed in each factory or workshop, distinguishing the sexes, the number of cubic feet of. space for each person, as also the sanitary arrangements in connection with all establishments under their supervision.

14. Penalties shall be imposed in cases of workrooms being kept open for working purposes during meal hours. 15. No boy or girl shall be allowed to work in any factory under the age of 14 years. He or she must deposit with the local inspector where possible a certificate of birth, and also a certificate stating that ho cr she has passed the Fourth Standard. The Inspector shall then give him or her a certificate stating that he or she has complied with the above requirements.

16. No young person between the ages of 14 and 18 shall be allowed to work in any factory for more than 48 hours in any week, and not at all between 6 p.m. and 6 a.m.

17. The inspector shall have the right to enter any factory at any reasonable hour. Any obstruction to him shall be punishable by fine. 18. If any operative be found in the factory or workroom outside the specified hours, though not actively engaged in work, it shall be reckoned as a breach of the law.

19. Inspectors shall he appointed under the Act, and shall furnish half-yearly reports to the Colonial Secretary, who, after collating these, shall prepare an annual report to be presented to Parliament.

20, The inspectoxs may be accompanied by a constable or ether police officer, who shall have the right of admis3;on with him to any shop, workroom, or factory. 21. Newspapers and printing establishments shall be brought under the pperation of th's Act.

22. Factory inspectors under this Act shall also be sanitary inspectors, 23. Every manufacturer of goods for salq shall be required to procure a registered trade-mark, and a 1! goods manufactured by them shall be stamped vith their trade-mark.

24. The same regulations in regard to sanitary arrangements shall apply to all shops and other rooms where women and men work for hire.

25. Provision should be made in any Bill to be brought before Parliament to prevent, if possible, the suffering caused to female assistants in shops by long continuous standing, as shown in Dunedin and Christchurch evidence.

26 This Commission expresses its entire sympathy with the movement to secure early closing ; but, having in view the diversity of opinion on the part of its promoters, is unable to recommend any direct method by which this desirable object is to be attained. 27. We recommend that steps should be taken to establish at an early date Boards of Conciliation and Arbitration based on an equitable representation of labour and capital. ~ 28. A system of indenture by which employers should be bound to teach their apprentices their trade, and by wlxich apprentices should remain with their employer long enongh to learn it, .would remedy many of the evils complained of. 29. For the purpose of obtaining reliable data as to the social and economic condition of industry throughout the Colony, Government are requested to take steps as soon as possible for the establishment of Bureaux of Statistics in this Colony, 30. Government are requested to introduce with . the least possible delay a new Factory Bill embodying the above recommendations.

In an addendum Messrs R. Waddell, D. P. Fisher, and - Colin Allan, . while generally assenting to the report, dissent from that part of it which says that the system known in London as ‘‘sweating” does not. exist. They dissent from : this’ because they consider that the existence of sweating is proved .by the, fact that there are numerous overcrowded and, insanitary workrooms, great numbera of labourers work long and irregular,hours, and wages- in many trades "are at the lowest possible ebb; they point out that; one or two instances of what is : called “London sweating”—i.e.j as commonly understood, sub-contracting—did come under the Commissioners’ notice; and they consider that unless there be an aroused public opinion and prompt legislative action, these evils will strike deep root in our midst.