I.—9a.

16

J. S. DICK SON.

11. You have had that poll now?—No, we have not. A large area has been added on which has not had a poll in any shape or form —that is to say, the twelve thousand electors of Takapuna and Devonport, who have had no voice in the matter one way or another. 12. That is exactly the position in the King-country now with respect to the Licensing Act, is it not? —You cannot compare the Licensing Act with the labour laws.

E. Stbwart examined. (No. 8.) 1. The Chairman.] Your lull name I—Edward1 —Edward Stewart. • 2. You wish to give evidence on the Shops and Offices Bill? —Yes. 1 wish to give evidence as to the conditions existing in Australia with regard to cooks, waiters, and hotel employees. 3. What is your occupation? —A chef. 4. Do you wish to make a statement?— Yes. 1 would like in make a statement. 1 have just come back from Sydney after being absent from New Zealand Tor two \ears, and I would like to speak as to the working-conditions over there. They have a whole day and a half-day off per week—a half-day under the Shops and Offices Act and a whole day under the award. This applies to both hotels and restaurants, and it is found in working very easy lor them to get along and still allow their employees a day and a half off per week. It applies to all the employees in both hotels and restaurants. I was second chef in charge at the Hotel Australia, and I found it very easy to work the men. We only required one extra man as a useful, and perhaps a housemaid-waitress to relieve. I was also second chef in charge at the ABC Cafe in Sydney, and the system was found to work well there too. Where there is one cook employed the mistress of the house generally does the relieving, and where there are two employed they also have a second hand who can do the relieving; so that there is no difficulty about them getting oft. •~). Mr. Long (Secretary, Cooks and Waiters' Union).] Would you mind explaining to the Committee, Mr. Stewart, how the kitchen was arranged so as to make the work continuous and yet so that the holidays could be given?— Yes, I can easily do that. I will take the case of the Hotel Australia. The chief cook used to get his Sunday off, and half a day in the week as well, and I myself, on every alternate week, used to get two days off —that is, I finished up on Friday night and started again on Monday morning, and I also used to tret an additional half a day a week. When my long week was on I took the half-day on the Mondays, ami when my short week was on I took it on the Tuesdays. I worked in conjunction with the chief cook, and the other employees of the kitchen, of course, could easily get their time off. At the ABC Cafe we only worked five and a half days a week, and worked eitrht and a half hours a day. It is working well at all the hotels and restaurants over there. Everything is running smoothly, and, in fact, it works splendidly. There are less changes taking place, and so forth, and a better class of men are employed. 6. It has been contended that in an establishment like Warner's at Christchurch it would be necessary to have another first-class cook. Will you explain to the Committee what staff a hotel like Warner's would require to give the day and a half per week? —I think I can do that. All they would require would be a " useful." The third hand, if he is a competent man, is equal to a second cook in a four-handed job. The} , could easily get over the difficulty by employing a useful man about the hotel. It would make no difference as to the changes that take place during the week because of the holiday, as each man could then get his holiday off. 7.. Did you get any other extra holidays at the hotels in Sydney? — Yes. 'Ilie holidays in Sydney are five days in the year additional. There are two days in the first six months and three days in the second six months. If you leave without misconduct after being at a place for four months you get pay instead of your holidays for the time that you have worked. These holidays take place during the next six months after being in the employment of one employer for that length of time. That is under the award. 8. The Charm a li. ] ,Wh at hours per week do you say you worked? —Sixty hours per week, and the work was continuously done within eleven hours per day. 9. Have you worked at any of the leading hotels in New Zealand?— Yes. I have worked at Warner's in Christchurch. at the Star Hotel in Auckland, and at numerous other places doing relieving-work. I was working in New Zealand for over ten years. 10. You say that, as an experienced chef, there should be no difficulty in all the hands in the kitchen getting a day and a half off per week without interfering with the work of the kitchen? 1 can safely say that. 11. When you had your holidays and when the chief cook had his holidays while you were in Australia, was it necessan to bring in any outside assistance to do the relieving-work?— No. It was never necessary to bring in a stranger excepi when the three days or the five days' term holiday took place. This was only required when the cook was away for so long a period as that. Of course, under ordinary circumstances, with respect to the general weekly holiday, there was ''<' extra man required. When the chief cook was away the second cook used to take charge, and when he was away the chief was always there, and the other man was there also. 12. It was only when the holiday additional to the weekly holidays were given that it was necessary to bring in any outside assistance? —That is so. 13. Mr. Anderson.] Did you work under the award in Australia? —Yrs. 14. What were the hours?— Sixty hours for cooks, sixty-three for kitchenmen. and for all other workers fifty-eight hours per week. 15. You worked that sixty hours although you had a day and a half off each week?— Yes. 16. What hours did you work per day?— Eleven hours per day. 17. Were you in Australia when tho award came into force?— No. I have been in Australia since the award came into force.