Washers and Manglers Bill

Feilding Star, Volume XIV, Issue 37, 13 September 1892, Page 3

Washers and Manglers Bill

The following is the text of a bill introduced mto the House by Mr Buckland, so as to complete the Labour Bills which are now being passed by the Legislature :— A BILL INTITULFD. An ict to Kegulate the Business of Washerwomen and M anglers. Bk it knacted by the General Assemblj of New Zealand in Parliament as sembled. and by the authority of the same as follows : — . . 1. The short title of this Act is _ The Washers and MaDglers Act, 1892. It shall come into force on the first day of January one thousand eight hundred and ninety-three. _ . 2. In this Act, if not inconsistent with the context.— " Mangier " means any female who undertakes the violent compression of any " waah " between rollers at so much a dozen : " Mangle " is included in " wash " ; " Wash " means and includes soiled linen of all varieties, articles of apparel and the various household utilities that are capable of renovation, improvement, and restoration by the application of hot or cold water in conjunction with soap or other like ingredient, accompanied by a violent and continued rubbing between the hands, or in some equi Talent artificial piece of machinery : " Washerwoman" means any female who undertakes th«* washing of a " wash " at so much the piece. 3. No female whosoever shall exercise or carry on the trade of washerwoman or mangier unless she «hall be duly licensed m manner hereinafter provided. Every female offending against this provision shall for every such offence be liable to a penalty of not less than one shilling nor more than one hundred pounds. 4. Any female desirous of obtaining a washerwoman's or mangler's license under this Act shall lodge with the Mm ister of Public Works, at Wellington, a notice in writing to that effect, and stating in such her true name and place of business, and shall also at the some time deliver with such notice a certificate of good character signed by at least four Justices of the Peace and one policeman. 5. On receipt of any such notice the Minister of Public Works shall forthwith inspect the premises of the said applicant : and he may either refuse the said license or grant it, according as in bis wisdom and experience he sees fit. U. Washerwomen and manglers' licenses shall be only of one surt, and the fee to be paid shall be five shillings per annum. 7. Every female to whom any such license as aforesaid shall be issued shall cause to be written, painted, or printed, in large Roman letters of at least two feet in depth, upon the most conspicious end or side' of her place «f business, ' Licensed washerwoman ' or ' Licensed mangier,' as the case may be. Any fe* male committing a breach of this section shall be liable to a penalty of at least fifty pounds. 8. Any person desirous of sending a • wash ' or ' mangle 'toan j washerwoman or mangier shall do the following things, to ; wlt: — (a). First of all, mark or brand the same with his or her registered mark or brand, such marks or brands to have been first duly registered with the nearest Registrar of Stock brands, who is entitled to demand a fee of five shillings for each such registration : (b). Make out a full and complete list in writing of all the articles comprised in the same, setting out where such articles were purchased or manufactured, and the full pre ' sent cash value of each article in detail : (c.) The before mentioned list shall be made out in triplicate, and be signed by both the party sending the " wash " or " manglo." and the washerwoman or mangier, as the case may be : (d.) One copy of such list shall be depostted with the Clerk of the nearest Resident Magistrate's Court , one copy shall be forwarded to the Auditor-General, and one to the Minister for Public Works. Any person desirous of perusing any such j list maj do the same in business hours on payment of a fee of oue shilling. Auv person offending against the provisions of the section shall be liable to a penalty of five pounds for each offence. 9. In the event of a " wash " or " mangle ' being returned, and the articles sent back not agreeing or tallying with the beforementioned list, notice shall be at once given to the Auditor-General who shall personally inspect the said returned " wash " or *' mangle," comparing the same with his deposited list, when he shall report to the Minister for Public Works, who may compel the washerwoman or mangier to forth" with make good to the sender of such •• wash " or "mangle" the present worth of the missing articles as set forth in in such list, or, in default, commit the •aid washerwoman or mangier to the nearest gaol for contempt of ministerial authority. 10. In the event of any "wash or " mangle " being returned and the sender of the same not being satisfied with the renovation, improvement, or restoration of it, he may forthwith lodge a complaint to that effect with the Minister of Labor, who shall, immediately on receipt^ of the lame, inspect the said " wash " or "mangle," and maj order the same, if he so pleases, to be re -renovated, re-improved, or re-restored at the sole expense of the washerwoman or mangier. The Minister's decision in all cases to bo final, 11. If any sudden dispute shall arise at any time between any washerwoman or mangier and any other person, the ■ame shall at once be referred to the Minister of Labor, who is hereby em» powered to act as sole conciliator between the parties. 12. The place of business of very washerwoman or mangier duly licensed • under this Act shall be subject to inspection by an officer appointed by the Governor in Council under this Act ; aad any washerwoman or mangier refusing to submit her establishmen t to such inspection shall be subject to a penalty of not less than one pound fur each and every such offence. 13. The Auditor General shall prepare a return in each financial year from all lists deposited with them, setting forth the names of all washers and manglers and the amount of washing and mangling jn detail done by each. Such return to be laid on the table of the House within the first ten days of the opening of Parliament in each year. 14 No male, other than a mangleturner, shall, on any pretence fchatever, beallowed to work about any washerwo man's or mangler's place of business. The penalty for the breach of this clause is imprisonment for six months. 15. No washerwoman or mangier shall work for a longer period than seventy* two hours in any one week. 16 All fees and penalties paid or recoverable under this Act shall be paid into and form part of the Consolidated Fund. _____ _—__