"SWEATING" IN SYDNEY.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 8673, 13 July 1906, Page 1

"SWEATING" IN SYDNEY.

REPORT TO THE LABOUR COUNCIL

STARTLING ALLEGATIONS

United Press Association — By Electrio Telegraph— Copyright.

SYDNEY, July 12,

An exhaustive report has been issued by a special committee of the Labour Council on sweated labour in Sydney. Its findings set forth: — "Slavery does exist in Sydney to-day. Our women and little children are daily drawn out ,of the slums and made to pass under the hammer of the inexorable auctioneer employed by Capital. The crack of the slave-owner's whip is legally forbidden, but daily thousands of unwilling slaves go to their allotted tasks to the .stunting of their physical and mental growth and often to the ultimate destruction, of body and soul. Many of the cases investigated, especially those Instances in which children are victimfeed slaves, disclose euch a hideous system of brutality as tb almost justify the denial of our boasted civilisation, while the term Christian applied to a city where employers thrive on downright slave-dealing is an awful misnomer. Our search disclosed heartless oonditions in connection with the dairying industry, soap and candle works and boiling-down establishments, which loudly proclaim the presence of the sweater. Jam, biscuit, lolly and pickle factories are dens under his direction, fend the fruit-canning industries, 'potteries and kindreU industries claim their toll, and though but a little distance was penetrated, your committee fs appalled at the deep-dyed sweating that flourishes in various 'abhorrent forms. Girls were employed by a certain firm for periods ranging up to two years for nothing, and afterwards were paid half a crown a week. There were instances where dismissal took place when the probationary period had endled." One clothing factory is described as not fit for a pig. The wages paid Were seven and sixpence for forty-eight •lours.