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32. Mr. Bollard.] Do you approve of limiting the hours of overtime to three hours a day, or to two days a week?— Well, as a general principle I think three hours, after a man has done eight hours' work, which makes eleven hours, is a fair thing. 33. You do approve of it ?—Yes, of some kind of limitation. 34. Well, suppose you were engaged in a factory and there was a large order came in which required to be executed within a limited time, and the hours of overtime were limited as you wish them to be, the only way that the employer could execute that order would be by taking on extra hands : would not that be so ?—That would be so. 35. Do you not think that would be liable to disorganize the working of the factory?—l do not think so. 36. You think some of the new hands might very likely take the place of the old ones ?—They very often do, if better hands. 37. Do you not think it would be better for the old hands to work more overtime than.that the employer should take on fresh hands?— Not when the men are to be got. 38. Supposing they are not to be got?— Though you kept a man six hours, you would not get much more out of him than in the three hours. What you had to pay for the extra three hours you might as well have let him go. He has not got much more in him after working the eleven hours. 39. Supposing an employer could not execute his order in a certain time, and had to get extra workers to work overtime ?—There .might be a chance of a case like that, but it is very improbable. 40. Mr. Hardy.] You seem to be thoroughly in accord with the eight-hours system ? —Yes. 41. You would not like it to be increased in any way?—Oh, we work nine hours on some days. 42. You expect eight hours' pay for eight hours' work ?—That is correct. 43. When you multiply that by six, why not go in for the forty-eight hours ? —You mean, work eight hours on Saturday. Experience tells us that every worker should have a half-holiday. If the law of the land says that it is good for the shop-assistant, it should apply to these indoor trades. 44. Do you not know that shop-assistants have to work a great deal more than eight hours a day?— They work from Bto 6, and one longer night a week. This Bill does not apply to shopassistants as it is drawn up, bat I would make a suggestion, and it is this : the same trade would be done if the shops shut up at 5 o'clock instead of keeping open till 6. 45. What is your experience with regard to shopkeeping, and the profits derived by shareholders keeping these shops ?—I have been behind the counter. 46. With regard to the profits, lam speaking of?—-I can tell you the trade done after 5 o'clock is very little. 47. Is it not within your knowledge that some shops take more money after 5 o'clock than they do all day?—lt is not within my knowledge that such is the case in the large centres. 48. What proportion of contractors are there in the boot industry in Christchurch—-men who work piecework?—At the present time there are not any. It is all weekly wages. 49. And you say you do not want to be paid for holidays, but desire to be paid for half-holi-days ? —No, sir. 50. You are paid a weekly wage, and there is a half-holiday thrown in ?—We are paid a weekly wage for a week constituting forty-eight hours. 51. Are you of opinion that the Arbitration Court is doing good work?— Yes, generally. 52. Are you of opinion that it really gives satisfaction on a whole ? —Yes. 53. As some of these industries that Mr. Hutcheson has been asking you about could be injured by this Bill, would it not be better to leave the Court to decide the matter o£ hours in your trade, as well as others that would be injured : you have not lost by that in the Court generally, have you ? —No ; generally the principle of arbitration, we think, is a right, and a fair, and a just one. 54. If the Court were to remain in existence, would it not be better to leave this to their decision ?—lt might be better. But the Legislature has made hard and fast rules that the shopassistants shall work from 8 to 6. 55. I do not know any law with reference to that ?—The Shop-assistants Act says they must close on one particular half-day in the week. If it is good to regulate the half-holiday by the law of the land, it should be just as good to regulate the hours. One man will say it injures him, and another will say it is a fine thing. 56. You would not leave it to the Board or Court to decide this matter ?—I think the Legislature, with the knowledge it possesses, should regulate the matter. I do not say it is better than the Court. 57. Is it within your knowledge that the representatives of districts fix the half-holidays in their several districts?— There are Council representatives in the suburbs round about who meet and decide which half-holiday it shall be in the week. 58. You have not faith in the Arbitration Court, that you would not leave it to the Arbitration Court to decide the hours of labour ?—lf we were to say we have not faith in it in deciding that point, the same thing would apply to its decisions on other points. 59. It is a good thing to bring employers and employes face to face in the Arbitration Court ? —Yes. 60. You are also of opinion that it would be a good thing to leave a matter of that kind to the Court to decide ?—I think the country should be ruled by the representatives of the people, and that they are in a better position to know the wants of the workers and of the people generally, and I think they should be the people to regulate the number of hours.