"LIVING-IN."

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 398, 6 January 1909, Page 7

"LIVING-IN."

;, trtjck.'aots extension.

COMMITTEE'S RECOMMENDATIONS. (B? TBLEOUArfi—PttESS ASSOCIATION—COPTBIOHt.) London, January 4.

'A Departmental Committee- has reported recommending an extension of the Truck Acts, and urging restriction of the system fin£s by employers. ■' The committee considers the living-in system to be harmful on tho moral side, but says the evils' alleged are neither so serious nor 80/ widespread as has been represented. It recommends that regulations be framed dealing with the subject.

Mrs. H. (formerly Superintending Inspector of Factories) and Mr, S. . Walsh (Labour/M.P. for Ince), in a minority \ report, express themselves in favour of tho abolition of living-in, fines, and deductions from wages.

FATHER VAUGHAN'S COMMENTS,

,'CASE FOtt SHOP ASSISTANTS' UNION

According to the, "Daily Mail," in many -businesses at Home it is compulsory for the assistants to live in the houses of their employers, and they' have to accept a smaller wage on that account, the deduction represent' iflg the value of boatd and lodging. The masters' ;olaim that assistants would not get the equivalent of suok.board and lodging for themselves foe "less than 14s, The Shop Assistants' Union aro against .tho living-in system, and demand its abolition, and with tho abolition an inorease in wages' of, 15s.'a I 'week'in-'lieu of board ( and lodging. ~'At'a T oonference-'on tho subject, Mr. Seddon, M.P., Vopresentinf; the Shop' Assistants' Union, said-that:association. total-'■^^.ab'^itiohx.of-'theXUvini-fn 'system.-''The .system', : tfasHteimentalito the healths of-. the;;: shop. vMSistants.'.r'L'.ltJ-prevbnted.the growth ; of;in-; ' dividuality and self-reliance., The-conditions of J life, : ;necessary 40> tib':system;: .conduced : to '< a •" loose;' standard' of ; morality. Tie, system;-.was . also'.iedqiibtiiicSlly: unsound. -'.It-excluded, shop, -workers ■frbm^tlip^6ocial■','a'nd : ,'bivic life of.-the' c'6riimunity:vbecause":,it .denied.-, thera.-: votes. . Moreover, commercialism had outgrown was not 'necessary ; for the prb- : per "conduct of /business;'/'..- -.';<!,, -• -;: :.:V ■y "The.union (added Mr, Seddon) recognised that . a- 'great; nature' could' not take places rapidly, and -that a reasonable time must be' allowed -for. the? transition from-living-in to living-out. :, The:■- Union had 'asked- that : the Truck -Acts' should he extended to the shop workers—hamoly; 'that their wages - Should be paid; in full in the -ourrent ooin of the' realm, provided by,the employer; should not; be.a; condition- of employ? ;; merit;::;;va : :| ; ■:-.'■■ ;'.••; :/v,/ v.:-/V '■'"■; ;-/ : - -.'!-.;:'' ;. ;i V."'-' noted,for- his/utterances on "the; sins 'of;sooiety,", v declare'd sometime/ago at a.{meeting of/the National Vigilance; Association" heard lately a good-deal about, girls' behind' drinking bars. . "Well,'' I. wbuldi very: often: rather put-them behind there'than: , behind 'tho: shop counter.' ' Behind the' bars they, db'-get :a ':: living -wage,: butiibehind: the Bhbp: counters they are; on starvation wages,' and : .if>theyMive;in—Gsd-' : help:them."^ :'■ : :The of -i. the Drapers'- 'Chamber.('of Trade;tlieifetipm;passed the 'follbwing resolu- : tidri.r-'That this bhamber-of/.trade repudiates - the'publio'istatements made Vaughan with? -reference;.'^--the'/-female assistants : em-: 'plbyod'/fnlh'eTdrapery• trade,',and regrets -that thetieyerend- gentleman.sttßhld have so'libelled them'without having made proper inquiry.",