NEW FACTORIES ACT.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume L, Issue 61, 16 November 1907, Page 2

NEW FACTORIES ACT.

FIVE THOUSAND POPULATION LIMIT CARRIED. LIVELY DEBATE ON CHINESE FACTORIES. Per Press Association. Wellington, Thursday. The''Factories Act Amendment Bill was considered by the Legislative Council in committee this afternoon. The Attorney - General moved an amendment to the "half-holiday clause" which, as passed by the House, made it legal for factories combined with shops in boroughs of a population of less than SOOO to observe the statutory half-holi-day for shops in lieu of the Saturday. The amendment proposed to reinstate 5000 as the population limit for boroughs to which the clause would apply. Tile amendment was agreed to. The proviso limiting the operation of the section to places where the number of persons employed in the shop is greater than the number of those in the factory was struck out.

The Hon. S. T. George moved to amend .lie clause which makes it illegal for my Asiatic to work for more than 48 working hours in a laundry l>y fixing the working hours in such laundries as between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. He said it .vould he impossible to ilistinguish whether Chinamen were observing the law or not unless the working hours n-erc definitely limited. The Hon. T. K. Macdonald said he liad no sympathy with Chinese, but he had been asked to point out the position the Chinaman was placed in by virtue of this clause. lie moved as a prior amendment that "no Asiatic or any other person" .should bo employed in any humtry for more than 48 hours per week. Several speakers pointed out that the employment of women in factories was already limited by law to 45 hours per week. The Hon. Messrs. CarncroM and Trask opposed the clause and appealed for fair treatment for Chinamen. The Hon. J. T. Paul said all the Legislature demanded was that the Chinaman should live up to a decent standard of civilisation. The Attorney-General .quoted from statutes to show that the employment of Chinese in laundries was limited to 48 hours week at present. There had, however, been wholesale evasion nf the law. He had seen documents purporting to be deeds of partnership in respect of Chinese laundries. Every one an employer, and nobody who v.'.rked iii—Um was an employee. - " Mr. Maedonald's proposal was defeatBd by 15 votes to 8. Mr. George's amendment abolishing ughtwork was carried by 13 votes to 8. Clause 15, providing for n minimum rate of pay for factory workers, was imended to prevent employers suspendng workers for a fewdavs in order to ivoid payment for holidays. The Hon. YT. ('. F. Oarneross Protested [gainst clause lfi, which provides {hat 'no premises the occupier of which is a >erson of the Chinese race shall hereifter_ be registered as a factory." He ■aid it was cowardly, discreditable, and in-British. < '

I he Hon. P. Trask also appealed for lair I treatment for the Chinaman. Foreigners were not treated in this country as they should be. The Hon. Dr. Findlay said it was idle to talk about un-British treatment and things of that sort. There was a deeper question underlying the whole matter. I here was the question of whether our race was to be brought into competition with a race in competition with which our*race must go down. "What lies at the bottom of this?'' the Attorney(.eneral asked. "East is l?ast, and West is West, and we don't want the East lhe proper method would be to keep out the Chinaman altogether, but the Chinaman was to be admitted, and this country is not responsible for that law. If we passed a/Jaw to-morrow excludiii" . the (hmaman from New Zealand it would not receive the Royal assent. *We are not in a position to remove ourselves trom the criticism of the Hon. Mr. Camcross, because we have to admit Chinamen. This is the only way we can pro- ] tect our race." , Mr. C'ariieross: "Are you goin" to prevent a naturalised Chinaman from I engaging { n business?" T)r. Findlay: "You can prevent a bur- : maid from serving in a bar." i Mr. Carncross: "You don't." Dr. Findlay: "Well, you are goin" to (lo rsonic day."

Mr. Carncross again declared that tlii was a.preposterous and outrageous elas or legislation. The Hons. ,T. liigg and W. Vi AIK ai'dle strongly approved the clause will e tie Hon. J. Aiwtey thought i went a little 100 far. Ihe lion. ,[. Oallan also ennsidem liu' clause ii harsh one. At (his stage the Hon. C. Lonlssor pointed out a curious anomaly in the .'lause. 110 said that, if it passed, an\ premises occupied bv a Chinaman couKi never bp, hereafter registered as a factory. Surely this was not intended. I he Attorney-General agreed with Mr, Louisson. He rather imagined that the clause had lieen introduced in the House and had heen passed without the consideration il deserved. Under the clreumsl T ' '<• ivnuld move to report progress in order that he might, have an opportunity to consult with the Minister For Labor. The motion to report progress was agreed to.