SWEATING COMMISSION.

Te Aroha News, Volume VII, Issue 461, 9 April 1890, Page 6

SWEATING COMMISSION.

Auckland, April 2. The Commission resumed at 7.30 o’clock last evening. The manager at Mcßride’s attended, and said that a statement had been made by some person on the previous night that they sent their boys round to operatives to collect work on Saturday afternoons. He was there to deny that stateaient, as it was not true. In answer to the Chairman, witness said that he had never seen any water in the cellar. The Chairman said that he supposed they had done with Mcßride’s. In future they would take no more statements or denials with regard to that shop. EATING-HOUSE COOKS. Walter Bareslield, cook at eating-house, depo?ed that there was a lot of abuse in hi 3 line. He had been asked to come and state facts. The hours were very long in some of the eating-houses, more especially the sixpenny places. He' had his fire lit at 6 o’clock in the morning, and worked until 7.30 o’clock at night. He had worked in worse places. At present his wages were T's per week, but the regular wage was from 15s to £l. The reason he was only getting 12s was because he was only recently out of the Hospital. He considered that he was not badly treated himself. If he got through his work by 3 o’clock he could go out for an hour or two. Some cooks had to work from 5 in the morning until 10 o’clock at night. MORE ABOUT TAILORING.

A tailoress stated that she had worked for some time at Mcßride’s. She knew that the girls often sat out on the roof after hours on Saturdays. She had sat out there often with eight girls to get out of the way of Gamble. Twice he visited the factory on Saturday afternoons when they weie out on the roof. She had worked there until six or seven o’clock on Sat.uiday nights at times, and often until five o’clock. They were not told to go out there by Mr Mcßride, but he knew they were there. This took place almost every Saturday whilst she was there for two years, with the exception of five or six days. Mr Mcßride did not cell them to stay, but he gave them work that taey could not do in the time, and it had to be finished. If they did not go on to the roof they would have to take the work to the Bark and do it there. At present she worked at another shop in town. Her employer had asked her to do more work than she could possibly do in the time. She belonged to the Tailoresses’ Union, and believed that the new log would benefit them. If she was to do the work her employer wanted it would keep her until twelve o'clock every night, and she would have to take the work home. Another witness—a machinist—stated that an attempt had been made by her employer to get her to machine tweed trousers at 2£d per pair. She would have to work very hard to make six pairs per day—that would mean Is 3d per day. She thought that the new log would benefit them considerably. She objected to work being taken home, but at the same time it would be hard on poor women who had sick husbands or children to maintain.

The Chairman said it was the practice in Dunedin to allow such women to take work home subject to supervision by the Union. Witness further stated that she knew that girls in oneshopin town could not make more than 5s per week no matter how hard they worked. She thought that many such girls should come and give their evidence before the Commission. The ages of the girls she referred to ranged from 16 to 22 and 23. They earned from 5s to 9s per week. LONG HOURS AT RESTAURANT A waitress deposed that she used to work from 7.30" in the morning until 8 o’clock at night, and 11 o’clock on Saturday night. The girls never gob off during the day. If they sat down her employer used to come and ask them what they were doing. At that time she got 12s per week and her meals during the day. Some of the waitresses now gob from 7s to Bs. She thought that girls would be much better off in service. SADDLERS’ WAGES. The following comparative list of prices was supplied by a saddler for the information of the Commissioners :

The following note was added: “This, the foregoing copy, is a true statement, and could you blame any suitable man leaving your colony when such differences exist between the two ? I should be glad to see something done to make things better in Auckland.” This being all the evidence forthcoming, the Commission adjourned until this morning-

Melbourne. Auckland. s d s d Harness Bridles.. 6 0 — 2 6 Breaching seat (complete) .. 8 1 3 b Shaft tugs 4 2 — i b Backhands 4 0 — i 6 Reins (single) 1 6 •— 9 Heins (double) .. 3 0 — 2 6 Aimes and traces 8 b 4 b Riding bridles (per doz.) 13 0 — 4 0 Cart saddles 6 6 — 3 0 Van 10 0 — 6 6 Cab 12 0 — 6 6 Plough bridles, better class, (per doz.) 3 5 — i 9 £4 0 2 £1 18 6