THE TRADES COMMISSION.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LV, Issue 249, 11 March 1913, Page 5

THE TRADES COMMISSION.

«• -« X >i. THE TARANAKI VISIT. By Telegraph.—-Per Press 'Association.. Wellington, Last flight; ' The Trade Commission will conclude its sittings to-morrow, When Mr.\j, G. Wilson, President, of the Farmers' Union, fciul otlier prominent farmers, will give evidence. Sir Ryder Haggard, the Hon. E. Bowring and Mr. Lorim'e?, Ml leave for Taranaki, 'inoNjiT% ixpress,"o,l.l d will inspect the <lairy «oun- ' 1 try, oil wells, and irqnsand deposits, going on by steamer to Auckland., Theother members will leave for the' TSfoiJth) by the Main Trunk express to-morcpw night. ~ "' /

TIIE SCARCITY OF LABOR. Wellington, Monday.. In giving his evidence before the TradeCommission to-day, Mr. Sydney Kirk--caldie, head of the lirm of Kh'lctaldie 1 and .Stains, said that lie had found it. almost impossible to get an adequate' supply of dressmakers, milliners., and tailoresses. At present under the! factory law a girl of 15 years of age had to be paid ss. a week, rising in successive years by annual increments of 3s a year. The result was that much of the work had to be imported. He suggested that dressmakers, milliners and tailoresses who had learned their businessat Home should be given assisted passages, or brought out as immigrants. Hewould be prepared to employ fifty swellpersons to-day, and their wages would! range from HOa to .'!ss per week for competent hands. The Hon. E. Bowl ing: I'm afraid .you would find it difficult to get. such labor in England, where there are factories today suffering from lack of such laboras you refer to. Witness, in reply to another question,, said that he believed 1500 or 1000 competent dressmakers, milliners and tailoresses could be absorbed in New Zealand every year. Mr. D. Campbell: Do you attribute the shortage to the operation offactory legislation ? Witness: No. Mr. Campbell: Is it on account of wages or conditions of trade? Witness: I should say that the wa«f»are adequate, and the conditions firstclass. There is a tendency to drift into offices and become typists. 9 Mr. Lomas (Secretary of the Labor Department), speaking of the .Sedgwick boys who were brought to New Zealand, said that only seven had turned .out unsatisfactory, while the others had been quite a success. The Chairman: Has the success of the experiment been such tlst you would advocate bringing out another batch? Witness: Yes, but the selection would have to be carefully done.-. ~ ■ Mr. J. W. Collins,, chief clerk of the Labor Department, gave evidence of the spareifcy r of labor in New Zealand. Hisinquiries led him'to believe tliat 500 boys could be absorbed in each centre.