THE PUBLIC TO PAY

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 2117, 7 April 1914, Page 5

THE PUBLIC TO PAY

FOR HOTEL CHANGES. In: consequence of the concessions in hours and wages made to hotel workers by the recent award of tho Arbitration 'Court-the executive of the New Zealand Licensed Viotuallors' Association mot yesterday morning to determine what action should be taken to meet ; the new conditions. It was decided that a general meeting of members of the association be summoned for Thursday. At that gathering the Executive Committeo will suggest that, as there is 1 no appeal against an'.'award, the Licensed Victuallers should .follow tho Judge's hint, and pass the increased cost of running hotels on to the public. The chief business of .Thursday's meeting will bo to arrange a new tariff for all hotels, according to their class. , '"This is our only way out," said one hotelkeeper, who was interviewed yesterday. "It means that, ufc last, tho Bttain has become too much.: For fifteen years.or more we have refrained from taking this step, though the cost of running hotels has gone steadily up and up. The tariff atfirst-elass hotels has been from 10s.'6dl : dey from time immemorial, but we are now forced into raising it—in fact, it has practioally been'suggested to us by ■ the Arbitration Court. Wo also think that the Court has gone, a great deal too far—has not been equitable in framing this award, For example, wo are now forced to givo all our employees one full day off in the week. A good many of us have done this in the past as far as'wo were able, but .now it has been made mandatory. The clause, however, does not apply to private hotels and boardinghouses, which are in direct competition with us.. Most of us expneted that a sis-day week would be granted,' but we were hardly prepared for tho extraordinary rise in tho ra,tes of pay. For instance, kitchen-hands, who are a floating class, and take tho (vork as a last resource, are to get 275. 6d. per week if they stoko the boiler {as apart from tho rango)—ss. a week ?xtra—and, if boarded out, are to" bo Allowed 225. 6d. for board, so that tlio Wages of a kitchen-hand who peels potatoes and scrubs out the pots may amount to £2 15s. per week, whereas the wages of the driver of a two-horse team, who has responsibilities—two horses to .drive, and a homo to keep up —is fixed by tho Arbitration Court; at £3 Bs. per week. Them'* consistency, for you!" , . "No" (continued tBo licensee), "I suppose this sort of thing will go on and on until tio public kicks. When that will bo I do not profess to know,. but • thero is a breaking point. It came in tho case of the recent strike, when the special constables wero brought into town, and it will also come in the oaso ,of tho gradual of tho cost of living, Thero will bo n big upheaval one day, and freedom of contraot will be Tcsumed again." .