WHITES PROTESTING

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1431, 4 May 1912, Page 4

WHITES PROTESTING

CHINESE STARTING ON FURNITURE. Word has been received by the secre* kry of a Wellington Trades Union that Chinese have secured promises in Christchurch for the purpose of manufacturing furniture. Furniture unions throughout the Doniiuion arid employers of furniture workers arc said to be up in arms about this, and thev aro combining to ask "the Minister for Labour to take steps to prevent the Orientals opening in tins business. It is said, also, that European laundrymen and others may join in the protest. "The fact is," says a man who is very much interested,' "that they would ruin the trade. In Sydney there are over iOOO Chinese engaged in the furniture trade, and the same number in Melbourne. The effect of their having broil allowed into those places is appalling and disastrous. The way they evade the eight hours' law is that they work things in three separate .shifts. One. lot does (ho furniture work, while another does i!i9 cooking, etc., and the third shift is steeping. Then the cooks turn to the furniture work, and those in bed give place to the shift which has just left the workshop, and go on doing the cooking, etc. Thu3 the business is kept going (no whole time, and the Whites ci-.uuot compels with them. Rome time ago the Hon. J. A. Millar introduced a measure which would have prevented ihis invasion, but the Bill was thrown ont by tho Upper House. Probably at an cariy date a strong deputation will wait on tho Minister, and he may be asked to reintroduce such a Bill, but I think he has power to deal with the matter as the lair stands."