WARMED NOT WARNED.

NZ Truth, Issue 87, 16 February 1907, Page 4

WARMED NOT WARNED.

A PETONE SWEATING DEN. Eliza Couchman's Laundry Lurk. One Girl Worked Till She Fainted.

The Petone laundry, Pet6ne, controlled by one Eliza Cquchman, is evidently one of those sweating establishments which a Factory Act was intended to deal with. It is apparent, however, that this "joint" cannot be controlled by any Act of Parliament, or at least the proprietress seems to be determined that it shall not. However Factory Inspectors have to be reckoned with, and occasionally the sweated girls employed do get the justice they are entitled to, and incidentally Eliza got her share of justice after Magistrate McArthur had finished with her, on Friday, though her husband appeared for her. There were two charges against Eliza, they being that she employed three women m a factory between the hours of 6 p.m. and 8 p.m. and failing to keep an overtime book m which to enter the names of assistants and the overtime worked by them. • , The defendant pleaded, guilty, and Mr D . M. Fiaidlay ', who . ; represented the Departments said. ... that—in , contravention of the Act' the defendant' employed , three girls at her laundry after G o'clock, and she had previously been fined for a. similar offence. Although the Labor Department had granted an extension of time m which overtime, could be worked, defendant had exceeded that time; and more than that, m granting an extension of time, the Department had exceeded its powers. The girls had been worked harder than the law allowed during the month of January. No proper overtime book was kept on the premises,and the sweating seemed to be part of a system. It was a very bad case, and .the fine of £1 on a previous occasion had had no effect. "Indeed, it appears," said Mr Findlay, "that the defendant finds it cheaper to pay such a small fine and to carry put her system." Inspector Lindsay then went into the witness box and said that Mr Findlay had correctly stated the facts. He would like to add that it was a very bad case. In one w«ek m January the girls had heen worked 19A hours overtime. Though they were supposed to be paid 9d per hour, the system employed worked the pay out at 4d per hour. It was no uncommon thing m that factory for it -to be closed up and locked wliile the girls were . working inside ; this was to prevent him raining admission. One girl had fainted at her work and was carried outside, where she rested for half-an-hour and then started work again. Mr Findlay : A good deal of ingenuity is shown to keep you from getting in?— Yes. Mr Findlay , explained that the maximum penalty was £10. The defendant's husband hereupon interjected that he could not admit the statements that had been made. Dr. McArthur : But you pleaded guilty. Couchman : I can say that no one ever fainted m the place. Fourpence per hour is not the price paid either. tt was explained to Couchman that through the .evasion ©f th€"Ac*c 4d' Was the average sum paid. •Dr. McArthur : I have constantly said that a light fine was only imposed as a, warning, and that for anyone coming to me for' a second offence it would be a warming. A 'fine of £5 on each offence was imposed. Costs amounting to £18 were ordered against the defendant. In imposimgr the fine the Magistrate said he would make the fine heavy so] that it would not pay the defendant. "That is the only way to teach people like you," added the Magis^ trate, who went on to tell the defendant's husband that he was fined for two offences : one for working girls overtime, and the other for 1 covering up thoir tracks by not'keepins proper books.- One offence was used to hide the other.