27

H.—s

629. The factory is well ventilated and warmed in winter. 630. There had been no sickness among the boys. 631. I am always glad for the Inspector to come and suggest improvements. 632. There are thirty-two boys between the ages of fourteen and eighteen, earning Bs. to 18s. a week. As the boys get more expert they get more money. 633. Fourteen is too young, in my opinion. 634. Eopemaking is now done by machinery. It is very different from what it used to be. 635. The wages of the adults were from £1 ss. to £3 ss. a week. 636. There is no piecework. 637. There are thirty-six men employed by the firm. 638. The firm does not consider it their duty as manufacturers to inquire into the education of the boys. 639. In my opinion no boys should be allowed to leave school until they have passed a certain standard. 640. I would be in favour of their bringing a medical certificate as to their bodily health. 641. The tendency of the Factory Act was to attract young persons to the factories in the towns when they should be employed in the country. Eobert Fergusson examined. 642. I am a bootmaker, engaged at Sargood's boot-factory. 643. There are about two hundred hands employed there. 644. The proportion of boys to men is about one to three. 645. I have never seen the Inspector of Factories. Ido not know him. 646. I have been in Sargood's for five years, and in other factories in Dunedin for about fourteen years. 647. The Employment of Females Act is carried out in our factory. 648. The greater number of employes are engaged at piecework. 649. We have got a union log. 650. The ventilation is very good. 651. I know of a factory in which the ventilation is not good. 652. I have worked at the factories at Home, and I think Sargood's is the best one as regards ventilation and sanitation. 653. We have no place to take our meals. 654. As to holidays, the only grievance is that we have too many. 655. With a strong union there would be fewer strikes. The last strike we had ran over twelve weeks. That was on the boy question. The boys threatened to overrun the trade. In some shops there were three boys to each man. 656. The agreement come to after the last strike has been fairly and well carried out. All the factories are working under Union rules, and we have about 250 members in the Union in Dunedin. 657. Two years ago we federated throughout New Zealand. Dunedin, Christchurch, Wellington, and Auckland have federated, and any dispute with one affects the lot. We support one another. 658. Some employers do not like the Union, but I believe the majority of them are greatly in favour of it. 659. Our Uuion was established in 1876, and I have belonged to it for fourteen years. 660. I have seen some statements published that the public are naturally inclined to look for cheap goods. My opinion is that it is not so much the public as the retailer who looks for cheap goods, and then sells them as the better article. 661. I think all factories should start and leave off at the same hour, and I would have it made an infringement of the law for employes to be found in factories at other than factory-hours. 662. I think the hours should be from half-past 8 till 5, and till 1 o'clock on Saturdays. It is much harder to detect breaches of the Act when the hours are not uniform. 663. I would suggest that copies of the Factory Act should be posted in prominent places in all factories. That is done at Home, but not here. 664. It might be as well if a medical certificate were required regarding the state of health of young people going to the work. 665. Our Union is thoroughly in favour of the early closing of shops, and will give it every support. The early closing of shops would entail no hardships upon the working-classes. Miss W. examined. 666. I am a milliner —till lately at Messrs. 's. 667. The hours are from 9 to 6 one week, and another week till 9 ; on Saturdays till 10. 668. I was there fifteen months ; before that two years at Mrs. 's. 669. I was never kept late at the latter place. 670. The wages were 55., and then 10s. 671. We had to stay in the evening for the sales till 9. 672. I had to leave the last place on account of my health. I have been very ill with long hours. 673. The girls that are taken on as milliners do not learn the business, but have to do odd jobs about the shop. 4—H. 5.