ENGLISH SWEATED INDUSTRIES EXHIBITION.

Colonist, Volume XLIX, Issue 12019, 21 August 1907, Page 5 (Supplement)

ENGLISH SWEATED INDUSTRIES EXHIBITION.

There was a very, large attendance at tbe Provincial Hall on Aug. 3rd to view the English Sweated Industries Exhibit, which was shown at the International Exhibition at

Cbristcbucb, and has since been exhibited by the Labor Department at various centres in the Dominion.

The exhibit is in charge of Mr E. M. Casey, of the head office of the Labor Department, and he and Mr Tyson, of the local office, will b 9 found most attentive to visitors in affording all possible information.

The Mayor (Mr Jesso Piper) and several Councilors and MrMaginnity, Chaiman of the Education Board, were present officially, and at the opening, the Mayor made a few appropriate remarks, and Mr Maginnity, who followed, moved that a vote of thanks be accorded the Government for acceding to the request that the exhibit be sent to Nelson. This was carried with acclamation. Apologies were received from the Chairman of the County Council (Mr P. Best), and several of the clergy who could not be present.

The exhibition i 3 one that should be S9en by all who can do so. There is a great deal to be learned from what is there shown. One can read of the long hours and small wages earned by the poor sweated creatures of the Motherland without really appreciating what it means to those whom gaunt want forces into the ?lava market. Bag making at the rate of fourpence per dozen brings the poor toiler four shillings for a week's labor of sixteen hours per day, and labor in such conditions as is revealed by the photographs which form part of the exhibition. Compared with the bagmaker the tailoress, who makes boy's knickers at ninepence per dozen, is affluent,

for she earns nine shillings for her week of sixteen hours per day. "At fivepenee per .pair a woman earns one and threepence per day making men's trousers, but it takes three h)!irs to mako one pair. Skirts are •aiJ for at tin rate of from sixpence farthing per dozen to one and ninaoeice farthing per dozen, and the workers have to find their own machines and thread. At this work

welve obilJing's per week of sixteen

' ouis per day are top wage 3.. A c mpl.ete cloth costume of jacket anil skirt, for one sbilliDg and a perm?, orker finding machine and threai, ; g nnofcher striking exhibit. Tosie th 3 actual articles that have ba'jn nude and paid for at these prices, to walk round the PxMhit and S3e •vidence piled on evidence 'Of the lepths to which groe'i on the or hand and want on the other force so miry of our fellow-eeatures, should steel our resolution jfcbat never shall his 3air countty bo defiled by such conditions of existence.