RASH LEGISLATION.

New Zealand Times, Volume LXXI, Issue 4441, 22 August 1901, Page 5

RASH LEGISLATION.

THE NEW FACTORIES BILL. A MENACE TO OUR INDUSTRIES. PANIC AMONGST EMPLOYERS. New Zealand could not hare become as "famous for its labour legislation’’ as it has if the demands cf the working section of the community for more wages and shorter hours under more congenial conditions had not had be. hind them a strong favourable public sentiment. Up to the present our factories Acts and labour laws generally, although naturally opposed by those who, as "captains of industry,’’ were immediately affected, have been popularly regarded as fair concessions to the workers, and have, no doubt, resulted in equalising matters to an extent, and in spreading the advantages which have accrued to us as a community, in a prosperous cycle, over the whole pop it. lace. But, according to the view of some observers, it seems as if success were turning the heads of the workers and their representatives in Parliament, and the result is that we have had brought down to the House of Representatives during the present session two most extraordinary examples of "legislation run mad.” The first of these is . the Shops and Offices Bill (the appearance of which was the occasion of a hostile demonstration on the part cf employees themselves throughout the length and breadth of New Zealand), and the second is the Right Hon. B. J. Beddon’s Factories Bill, winch has struck terror into the hearts of a large section of our manufacturers, and which, if passed by Parliament, would, it is said, crip, pie or entirely annihilate many of the industries of this colony. Until ono goes amongst those affected (as a "Times” reporter has during the last few days) and makes independent in quiries for himself, he will not realise the staggering effect which this proposed legislation has had upon the responsible men in this community. It is not only the actual manufacturers who are concerned. There aro wheels within the wheels. It does not matter how optimistic a man may be, if his banker is a pessimist. It is no use » manufacturer saying: ‘‘l have'more faith, in Mr Seddon than to think that he will do anything to wipe mo out, and I intend to extend my industry and take on more hands,” if the man m charge of his overdraft replies: ‘‘Halt! You have gone far enough!’ But as a matter of fact this new Factories Bill is not of the kind to breed optimism, even in the stoutest hearts, and the man who goes about amongst our maufacturers notices with regret that they really do wear a very worried and hunted look, which boars out the emphatic assertion that the majority of them 'make that they “don't know where it is all going to . end.” Perhaps it may not bo generally known that the new Factories Bill pi°* vicles, inter alia, that a person shall not be employed in or about a factory, tor more than forty-five hours (excluding meal-times) in any week; and that no female shall be employed at any time between the hours of six o’clock in the evening and eight o’clock in the morn* in • and that the prescribed number of working hours may from time to time be extended, but hot more than three hours in any day. more than two days in any week, or more than thirty days in any year. Right on top of this, holidays and half-holidays mounting up to thirty-three days in the year have to be provided for the man and paid tor by the master- . The question arises ; lf Can masters, in the face of competition, and in the face of the increase in the price of materials and commodities, afford to make these concessions, or must they shut up shop r That is practically what the “ captains. of industry” are asking themselves at the present time. That is why representatives of every branch of industry are hurrying from all parts of the colony and flowing into, and overflowing out of the room in Parliament House in which the Labour Bills Committee is “holding its very interesting sittings. And every deponent is telling the same story; The chairman : “What is your name? “ John Jones.” “ And what will be the effect on your industry if the new Factories Bill becomes law?”

“The effect, sir, will bo that my operations will be hampered, crippled, or paralysed. I shall have to dismiss cumbers of my most efficient and trusted workmen; and I myself will probably be ruined.”

If concrete examples are needed, we have them right here. Everybody knows how dependent Wellington and a large section of its population is upon its ironfoundries, its meat-freezing and tinning, works, its woollen manufactories, its brick and tile works, etc., not only for its prosperity, but for its ordinary every-day existence as a city. If the manufacturer is compelled to shut up/ shop, what will become of the draper, the grooor, the butcher, and all trades? More than that—-and this is a matter which apparently has been lost night of by the trades unionists and theorists in the Labour Department, who arc obviously inspiring this legislation - what is to become of the tradesmen if the manufacturers are forced to quit mannfactoring and t 0 become importers? Ami yet that is where they arc being forced to. There are people in this community who can remember the growth of establishments such as those being carried on by Messrs W. Cable, S. Luke and Sons, Robertson and Co., W. Crabtree and Sons and Edward Seager. These establishments have grown with the growth of the city; they have employed the youth of the city; and they have helped" to convert largo quantities of youthful raw material into competent ironworkers and engineers and good-for-something citizens—men who, whenever they have gone abroad, have been branded “first-class,” and have done credit to themselves, and the firms who taught them how to work, and the colony which gave them birth. But it wasn’t done on forty-five hours a week, and severely restricted overtime, and thirty days a year holidays. Well, what is the position into which these employers are beinaJiorced ? Supposing a ship oomea inSfoahled, or a printing machine runs rW, or the intricate sections of a woollen manufacturing plant fall into disrepair, and bring the whole concern to a standstill, can the ironfounder say to.his employees: “ Boys, it is important that these matters should he attended fo at once. I shall want von to keep right on with this job until it is finished.” Xo! the Factories Bill says: “ Xo employee may work more than three hours overtime in any one day or more than two days in any week!” But the “boss” can call in extra hands, oan’t he? Yes, but they also are full of “ demands ” ; they want this concession and that: they, too, are unionists! But are they competent workmen, and are they capable of handling this particular machinery? Will it, in short, “pay” the “boss” to take them on, on these extra special occasions? The manufacturers say it wilt not; they will have to refuse to do these extraordinary repairs. What will happen, then? Well, the owners of

steamer* and printing machines and woollen mills will have to pay exorbitant bills for overtime, or they will have t 0 wait until so many hours or day* have expired that the law may bo complied with. Everybody knows Mr Peter Hutson s brick-making establishment. Ten years ago he started brick-making with eleven hands. Now he has between sixty and seventy. He lias added tile and pottery, making t 0 bis brick and pipe-making. The Factories Bill says : "Mr Hutson, you shall in future employ your bands forty-live hours a week instead of forty-, eight.” “But,” replies Mr Hutson, " I work on a system. I have four kilns, which are e mptied and filled in rotation. If you cut down the hours in this arbitrary way you will disorganise my industry, and I shall have to go slow and discharge n number of hands.” “ Can’t help it.” reply the framers of the new Factories Bill. “ it is better "hat your hands shall starve than work longer than forty-five hours, or for less than a union wage.” “But,” says Mr Hutson, “I am fostering a new industry’ ; I am working up a connection in art pottery: I have a fair claim on you for a subsidy; surely you will not penalise mo instead?” “Sorry,” one can imagine the framers 0 f the Factories Bill replying, “there is certainly some point in what yon say; but the labour unions and the Department of Labour are ou top, and we dare not interfere—we dare not interfere.” The same thing happens in connection with the employees in the freezing and canning works. This large section of tho labouring community, like tho ant in tho fable, works hard in summer to lay by a store for winter. “It know* the season when to take occasion by the hand.” This arrangement has worked well for years. But the Factories Bill says: “No; you must work no more than three hours overtime any one day, nor more than thirty days any one year.” -\pparently it only reniains for tho Government to enact a measure to provide for the equable distribution of seasons, to bo called “The Abolition of Winter Weather Bill,” to remove tho whole difficulty. The woollen mills will he hit very hard by the provision in the Bill preventing women and girls going to work before 8 o’clock. Th 0 Wellington Woollen Com* pany’.s employees have started work at 7 o’clock in the morning for years and “knocked off” proportionately early. Tho exigencies of tho industry demand this, But tho Factories Act makes no provision for the exigencies of industries. It says “Thou shalt not!” and there ia the end of it- Tho proposed now law means that both men and women in this factory will have to work such short hours that they will have to accept a starvation get out and niako room for somebody else who will. From estimates that have been made, it is evident that tho increase in the number of .holidays given to employees will moan 12J- per cent, additional out of tho pockets of employers, “ as a present t 0 the employees for doing nothing.” No wonder our manufacturers are wear* ing a worried look.