COOKS AND WAITERS.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 529, 9 June 1909, Page 8

COOKS AND WAITERS.

GRIEVANCES VENTILATED. ; THE' MINISTER'S REPLY, A deputation from tho Cooks'.and"Waiters' .Conference was introduced to the Minister'., for . (the Hoii. A. W. Hogg),by Mr, : D. M'Laren, M.P.j yesterday. ; ■ Bnrr, M.L.C., asked whether tho Minister would -iiitroduco 'this year a , Bill to deal ..with ...the .hours of labour' in hotels, cluba, and lodginghouses. Ho stated . that tho, Hon. J. A. Millar, when .Minister ' for Labour, "ha^. promisec| .'such' ,a' : measure. J, - Mn.E. % J."Carey; V Cooks* ? n j- w .rs'. Union) said the union would be disappointed if something were not..dono v this session, in the \vav of .securing a Vhole-' day s rest once, a 1 week' for tho - employee? referred to.: _ > -

. Other requests put forward' by the desputa. :tion included the grievance of-the employed, on the railway, dining cars, iii regard -to paj and status; an enlargement of the oporatiom of the labour Bureaux, so that pnvato registry offices would ,notbo needed ; a mora rigid examination of boilers' and other, dah-, gerous appliances in kitchens; an' autliorita.' tivo .definition of. "proper, living accommodalion for employees. In the lat-' ter connection, it was stated': that somo o) the places where tlie; employees had to lodge were not fit for; human occupation. • Kitchens,, pantries, and sinks should be pcriodi-; cauy inspected. • Legislation was earnest!? desiTed for ' the. protection of femalp,, cmj; ployees, who, in some cases/, hjid to work .65, /o, and SO hoursa week. Hence domestic sorrioe, when employed ■ ■fot profit,: became abhorrent, ■. and tho ; best women. would not enter it. > -f • • , ; /,•

; The Minister, in reply,' said-he would', ii' quire into tKo: allegations-: as • to' hours of labour. The hours.mcntienedwcre iiareasonable, and, if 'ho could lessen them, he; would 'do bo. The • accommodation 'of:"%'orkersin hotels, restaurants; ind boardinghouses was of vital .importance,' affecting, as it did; the health of tho travelling community, as well as that of the'employees.. In some Wei-! lington backyards,' he had seen conditions which were simply revolting; He would bring: the matter before the Departmental' inspectors. He would refer' .tho • matter of railway dining-car employees to the Minister for Railways, and, ask liiin to do what ho could. He fully agreed'that cooks. waiters, .and the liko ought to have-a \vecl;ly day's rest, .and. ho would bring tho 'matter beforo Cabinet, and orideavour to get a -J3ill intro- : dueed this yoar. It would,., ho feared, ho 'impossible' to legislate; to: the same, effect for dairy employees and other country workers, but .they, perhaps,'had-'n liatural.cbDipensation in tie form of a comparatively easy time during certain' months of . tho yoar. Ha would speak to his. predebossor in'.offico'as to tho promise tJie latter was 1 said 1 to have made about e Bill to'regulate the hours of labour in hotels'and similar places. Finally, Mr. Hogg- assured, tho'. deputation that ho had always had great sympathy withtho workers, and would like to help thom as much as he could.' ... - ■■ '