9

I.—9a.

W. L. JONES.

8. With the object of bringing it before this Committee? —Yes. The union has already considered the Bill as it stands. 9. And they do not meet until Monday week? —That is so. 10. Could they not have met before?—They have one week on at night and one week off. The week they have off is when they are not on night duty, and are at liberty to go into the matter. 11. Your fear is that, the City Corporation having to employ more men so as to give all the men a day off in the week, the expenses will be increased, and may lead to a reduction in the wages? —That is what they think. I pointed out that they could not expect to get seven days' pay for six days' work. 12. Mr. Glover.] What is their pay now?—It runs into something like three guineas a week for motormen, and something less for the others. I pointed out that this Bill did not mean that they would necessarily not work on Sunday, but that they would get one day off in the week, and it would be ordinary labour pay that would be deducted. 13. Mr. McLaren.] What are the hours the tranvwaymen work on Sunday? You said they worked three consecutive Sundays and then one alternate Sunday : do they work the whole Sunday ? —From 10 o'clock in the morning. The first car runs at 10 o'clock. 14. Mr. Poole.] Do they run continuously until late at night?—I think there is only one car from each different terminus —the Sunday morning car —up to 1 o'clock, and from 1 o'clock thev are running continuously. There are only a few men on up to 1 o'clock, but afterwards the cars are running every ten minutes. 15. Mr. McLaren.] Are they running the same number of cars on Sunday as on week-days?—I cannot say for certain, but Sunday is the biggest day, I understand. 16. Has the union considered clause 4 of the Bill, as to whether the tramways should be exempt?—That came up in the discussion, and they suggested that the tramways should be exempt, but that was not in my instructions. I suggested that it would be very bad on their part to suggest that tramways, as apart from other businesses, should be exempt. They instructed me to say that if the tramways should be exempt it might injure the chances of the Bill going through. 17. Is it the case that there are men standing by?— There are men standing by, but I do not think so on Sunday. They are supposed to have their full week-end apart from Sunday, and it is made up by what they call "call-back time," where men are relieved in the car or work like that. 18. They make up the week's work apart from Sunday?—Yes, they must make up nine hours a day. 19. Mr. Glover.] Do the trams run continuously on Sunday? —Yes, after 1 o'clock. 20. There is no cessation during church hours, as in Auckland?—No, they run continuously here. 21. Mr. Poole.] I suppose some of the casuals depend on the Sundays to get employment?— There are no casuals in our tramway service. 22. There arc in Auckland, and they look to Sunday to make their little bit of money. Would the men expect to get paid time and a half for working on Sunday if they got a day off in the week ? y eg 23. I think you will notice that the purpose of the Bill is to turn any other day in the week into Sunday, and the work on Sunday into that of an ordinary working-day for the men who may be called upon to work on that day : you think there is a danger that it would not be reckoned as an overtime day? —That is my impression, and I pointed it out to them. They consider it would be'obviously unfair, even though they got a day off in the week, to be called upon to work for the time off on Sunday; for in other trades, where men do not work on Sundays —such as drivers ami carters —if they work on Sunday they get time and a half. The tramwaymen consider that, in Hie circumstances, if they get tin' day off in the week, the reduction, if any, should only be at the rate of day-labour, and not at that of Sunday labour. That is the conclusion they arrived at. 24. The purpose of the Bill is to give every man the Sunday?—Exactly. 25. And if every man gets a day off and some have to work on Sunday, the natural deduction is that Sunday would be an ordinary working-day—that is the spirit of the Bill? —The tramwaymen do not approve of that aspect of it. They affirm the principle of the Bill, but if they work on the Sunday they desire to be paid time and a half, and will not go back on that. 26. Mr. Hardy.] They are prepared to work on Sunday provided they get time and a half?— Yes. 27. They are prepared to take their Sunday, but only want what is equal to ordinary time allowed for that?—Yes. 28. It is not going to be considered as Sunday at all?—No; they would get their Sundays in notwithstanding, as at present, but instead of getting extra time they would only get paid as ordinary time, as on a week-day. 29. Mr. McLaren.] Do the tramwaymen get anything equivalent to the half-holiday which is given to artisans, tradesmen, and labourers generally?—No, they get paid by the hour. If they work nine hours they get nine hours' pay. 30. They work nine hours for every day they work? —Not necessarily, but they have to do it under their award if required. Eighi hours is the specified time, but nine hours are necessary, and the majority put the nine hours in. 31. Mr. Glover.] Do I take it that, if they took Sunday, for the sake of argument, on Wednesday, they would desire to get time and a half for that particular Wednesday? —No. Tn the event of their getting the Wednesday off and working the following Sunday, they consider they should get the usual wage for Sunday work—time and a half. 32. Mr. Hardy.] Is it the wish of the tramway people that they should get the half-holiday ?—■ I cannot say. That was not discussed. I think they would take it if they could get it. 2—1. 9a.