DAYLIGHT BAKING

Southland Times, Issue 19859, 3 May 1926, Page 6

DAYLIGHT BAKING

DEPUTATION TO MINISTER OF LABOUR.

REQUEST FOR LEGISLATION.

(Per United Press Association.)

Wellington, April 30. A request for legislation to give effect to a measure of daylight baking proposed by the New Zealand Federated Operative Bakers’ Association was made to the Minister of Labour (the Hon. G. J. Anderson) to-day by a deputation representing that body of workers. The deputation was introduced by Mr P. Fraser, M.P., who stressed the importance of the question and stated that it was engaging international discussion. Mr O. J. Verde, secretary to the Bakers’ Federation, outlined the history of the movement to secure daylight baking, attributing the failure to secure that end to jealousy among the master bakers themselves. Replying to the Minister, the speaker said that daylight baking would mean commencing at 5.30 or 6 a.m. So far as he knew there was no definite public opposition to the proposal. Continuing, the speaker argued that with the advance of science a baker should be able to produce bread that would be sweet, moist and wholesole 48 hours after it had been made. If the men started at 4 a.m. the bread could still be produced for delivery after 9 a.m. The Minister referred to the fact of night baking and asked the reason for it. Mr Veale—“lt is only jealousy and competition between themselves. We can’t see that it is for the purpose of helping or pleasing the public.” Mr Andrew Collins, secretary of the local union, said he could not see what objection the Master Bakers could raise against daylight baking. Starting at 5.30 a.m. they could have bread baked, and in the carts by 9 a.m. A baker’s objection at present was that he did not know when the day’s work was done or at what time he would be called back again. He hoped the Government would, by legislation, give a 12 months’ trial to the system of baking whereby work was commenced at 5.30. He was willing to put £5OO of his own money into such a scheme. He contended that daylight baking would do away with the present evils of competition. Mr Brooks instanced an Auckland case in which a certain bakehouse worked the same men a straight shift of 25 hours. The Minister—“ Would you object to continuous work on three separate shifts?” Mr Veale—“We object to night work, claiming that it is not necessary.” The Minister—“ Supposing this proposal were made a law, at what time would the bread be delivered?’” Mr Veale said that delivery could start at 7.30 or 8 in the morning. He explained that the dough would be prepared by a doughman prior to 4 a.m. ready for the baker to start work at that hour. Another member of the deputation briefly reviewed the daylight hours worked in Australia, where the hours differed in various States. Replying to a further question, Mr Veale said they had not discussed their proposal with the Master Bakers. Mr Anderson promised to consider the matter, remarking that it struck him as more reasonable than anything that had been put up previously. “I think,” he said, “this is a matter upon which, if you could come to some arrangement with the Master Bakers, there would be very little difficulty in getting it through the House.” When the question was under discussion before a committee of the House he re-called the burden of the complaint of the employers. It was that the public demanded fresh bread. Operatives argued that it was not in the interests *of the health of the people to eat fresh bread. That was countered by a statement on behalf of the public that it was quite competent to say what it should eat. He could not say whether the Government would introI duce a Bill along the lines requested although there should be legislation in regard to shops, etc., this year. However, he would let Mr Fraser know the result of the consideration he gave the proposal they had presented. Mr Fraser remarked in conclusion that daylight baking was in force in Holland, Sweden, Finland, Germany, Russia, Czechoslovakia and other countries.