SWEATING IN SYDNEY.

Wanganui Herald, Volume XXXIV, Issue 10119, 22 August 1900, Page 1

SWEATING IN SYDNEY.

LONG HOURS AND SHORT PAY

At a recent anti-sweating mission — the first of its kind ever held in Sydney — Mr W. J. Lormer, of Melbourne, ir referring to the operation of the Vie torian Factories Act, said that while the life and work of the Turner Government would to a great extent be forgotten ii> time, yet the name of Mr Peacock, the Chief Secretary of that Ministry, would ba handed down as the author of one ol the most beneficent acts ever placed nc the Statute Book. To show that sweat ing existed in Sydney, Mr Lormer read from two written statements, duly signed, that in cue caes a man had to wort in a Sydney bakery 19 hours out of the 24, and that the man who took hia placf on one occasion worked for GO consecutive_hours; that the head of the place acted, like a slave driver — concluding his remarks thus: "The Australian* speak and boast of their freedom ant eight hours system, but this iactory simply proves that their boasting is al a delusion, and there is more sweating: and grinding down of labour, especially of poor, unfortunate, destitute men ano' women, than in any country in Europe. Tho second letter stated that the writer began wffrk at 1 a.m., and had l< work on often till 3 or 4 p.m. For three weeks jsast lie bega-u at 3 a.m. on a Fri day, working almost continuously till mid-day on the Saturday, with an interval of some two hours only that ia, nearly 31 houra of continuous work. Foi this lie receives 15s per week, out ol which he lias to pay 3s for a room. It was als>> shown that delivery carters were on duty from 7" a.m. to 11 p.m., and Alderman Barlow cited n case of a well-educated man, speaking four languages, offering his services as a clerk foi 20s per week. At the close of the meeting it was resolved to form the National Anti-Sweating League of New South Wales, and officers were elected.