RICH BARBERS ON LINERS.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXIV, Issue 48, 21 October 1912, Page 6

RICH BARBERS ON LINERS.

An interesting compensation case arising out of the Titanic disaster came before the Southampton County Court recently. It concerned a victim named Klein, who was the secondclass barber, and during the hearing an insight was obtained into the earnings of barbers on Atlantic liners. Klein, it was stated,, was promoted from the Teutonic to the Titanic. His widow claimed £3OO. It was admitted that the barber only received Is a month from the company, who however, provided him with a shop and his food. The claimant put the average earnings at £3, made up of tips, takings, and the proceeds of the sale of souvenirs. For the company it was urged that there was no contract of service, and further that a barber was not a workman within the meaning of the Act. Nevertheless, a sum of £l5O had been paid into Court. One witness, who had served as a secondclass, barber on the Titanic’s sister ship , Olympic, gave figures which showed that he; made about £416 a

yefUV: , I - . .Thereupon one ;< of . tile ' counsel remarked.; that he would have to give up the -bar and become a, barber. The witnesses’s figures!ioirone. voyage were nufdel up as follows j-h- ; Shaving, £8 Bs. Haircutting, £2 6s. ,Sh a-mpooin ff,,, £2.1 05. , p . Sale-of souvenirs, £7. Toilet requisites, £2 10s. ... Tips, Cl 10s to £2. Ip.,(addition he. pjuj uthc Vahid' of, his board .and lodging ion board at 21s. , ; The Judge:jJljat makes' about'|£26 fpriaushort trip, a; r, ' , It was explained that everything in the barber’s department cost Is. The Judge : Then I shall certainly not go on board. (Laughter.) . In cross-examination the witness altered bis figures somewhat, but maintained that lie could make over £4OO a year if permanently engaged on the Olympic. The case was adjourned.