The Wairarapa Daily. TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 11, 1890. EIGHT HOURS A DAY.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume XI, Issue 3432, 11 February 1890, Page 2

The Wairarapa Daily. TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 11, 1890. EIGHT HOURS A DAY.

The rule of labor in.New Zealand is "eight hours a day." We Lave havo always had a considerable respect for this rule, and when we see any wide departure from it w« feel it to be our duty to make some protest. : Wo have for five and twenty years lived in a country where this rub has on the whole been fairly observed; we have always as an employer of labor abided by it, and we hope yet for many-years to come to find publio sentiment in Of course to all rules there'aro exceptions, and there are times' and seasons when a strict line cannot be drawn, and some occupations to which it is impossible to apply it. Attempts irom time to time have been made to embody eight hours labor a day in an act of Parliament, but there aro obvious difficulties in defining such a measure, and for this reason it is all the more necessary that the custom which constitutes the basis of a day's labor should be upheld. Our attention has been called to the fact that it is oustomaryat our flax mills for hands to work ten hours a day, and there aro certain reasons which make it to tho interest of employers aud employees to depart from the good old eight hours rule, During wet wealher work at these establishments is occasionally almost at a standstill, and so what is lost in the winter is made up by longer hours when the summer sun shinos, It seems hard to question an arrangement of this kind, which is apparently to the advantage of both masters and men, but still thore is the other side of the case to bo considered. We are not aware that tho extra two hours now worked are paid at a specified rate as overtime, but we are disposed to believo that in many instances wages are givonat so, much a week for a day of ten hours, thus establishing a precedent which -is liable to be generally followed. An employer of labor in another industry less profitable than flax, sees other masters getting ten hours a day for a current rate of wages, and naturally feels disposed to obtain a like advantage. In this way the thin edge of the wedge may bo expected to burst pp our old .eight liouio avstom. It "may seem invidious to siiigloout tho ilax industry, \ylnch, as a labor agency, is now doing an immense amount of good in the Wairarapa, but wo dp feel that the example it is setting is a Ud one, and that jn -tbe interests of the working man it is necessary to objeot to it. We say this all the mo're freely because the flax trade is profitable, and even if the mills only ran eight hours a day masters and men could live, We question even whether •any decided permanent advantage to owners will resulf fioiii loug hours. In the Foxton district some mills aro closing which havo uspd up all the raw material y.ot available. Our Wairarapa mills oven if they work but eight hours a day will exhaust their supply before we aro many years older,"and may just as well proceed with.a little deliberation. There is another aspect of the labor questibli iii connection 'with flax mills which we feel' it to be out duty to bring under the'notice of owners, one whictiye.aM PWO they :lmve overlooked.. In 1881 ''an passed called the Employment of Feroftlca ami others, which makes restrictions in "certain-cases with respect to hours of labor, Under thiii measutii : ub person eiiplop in a faotoiyi and we believe flax Mis

pomo under tbis definition in the Act, is ponnittefl to work under the ago of- twelve-years,. No: child may. be employed for more than eight-bouis a day, or set to work before eight o'clock in the mornintr, an<l Vnnst : be released from employ ui en I r iter two p.m on Saturday's. He measure defines a child to be a boy or girl between the ages of tea find fourteen, and it alfo specifies, a young person | to be between the ages of fourteen and eighteen. With respect to young persons it makes it penal for them to be made to work more than four and a half hours consecutively without on interval of half an. hour for a meal. Our interpretation of the Act may be a wrong one, and the clause which defines a factorymaynot be applicable to a flax mill, ' It runs as follows Factory means any. manufactory, workfliop, workroom, or.othor eßtabliahmunt, or plaoe of bueincae, where any tcinalc child or young person shall beemployed,. Young f person means a boy or girl between the ages ot fourteen and eighteen years. ..

But if. it be applicable, it is quite evident that the-owners of (lax mills are breaking, the law right and left, and as the penalty for each breach is ft fine up: to fifty pounds, the legal aspect of the question is a matter for ?crions consideration. The bulk of the labor employed in flax mills is probably un3er eighteen yeivs of age, and apparently the law as .it exists has "made a special provision for the protection of children and young persons. Tliero are many employers of labor in our flax mills' whom we feel sure would, if the Act we have quoted applies to their establishments, rcapeot its provisions as soon as they become acquainted with them. If the law be as we suppose, it practically moans'that flax'mills will have to run eight hours a day instead of ten, and on the whole we believe the change, though it may slightly reduce the earnings of both employers and employees, will be a wholesome one, We are conservative enough to

desire to rotain eight hours a day as a working rule in this colony, and tlnugh we tread ou the toes of somo of our bust friends by raising it labot question of this obaracter, we should be wanting in a public duty if we shrink from the' responsibility of taking up the causo of the working men in the community at n critical time when their interests are at Stake, and a silent and insidious change threatens to make ten hours a standard day's labor,

Mr J. B. ltinoa notifies that ho has just received a ch' ice assortment of valentines,

The ordinary furfcnijthtly meeting of the Loyal Mustertmi Lodge, 1.0.0.F,, M.U., takes place this evening. The Etistor cnoampmenfc of the Well' ington ,district will prubably tako place at Island Bay tLii year.

Several caßes of scarlet fever amonast children are beins; treated in Maßterlon, The disease ii of a very c<mta«iuus character. Onu case of typhoid is also reported. Tho ordinary fortnightly meetiu? of tho Wairarapa North County Council takes place this afternoon.

Messrs Lowes and lotns add to their flam Fair entries 30 Southdown Rams bred by Mr W, Boa? of Canterbury also 10 Romney Marsh lams.

We understand that the Temperance party in Eketahuna are willing to support any Licensing Committeo who will pledge themselves to reduce the number of licenses.

The Wairarapa Jockey Club's Summer incoting will be held on Friday, February 21st. The privileges in connection therewith will be sold on Saturday nest 16th inst by Mr F. H. Wood at his (ireytown rooms.

MrO. E, Daniell notifies elsewhere that linibor- can bo procured at his Queen Street yards at mill prices. Ho has uvory. description of building material en sale ana doors, windows, and all joining work can be obtained at factory, rates.

• The c.mimitteo of the Mastertn, Horticultural and Industrial Societ; meet tomorrow evening at tlio Prosi dents office, to allot special prizes am make fiinl arrangement lor the Autuiui 6how, which takeß place in the Drill Hal on Wednesday February 20ih.

Mr J. A. Smith, Into school teacher at Droyertun has been promoted to an apjjointnieut.at Waihabke school,' Mr A, Walker advertises for sale puro Lincoln Earns, two tooth, and full mouth. Tho tirno for closio? tenders for cutting a dram, flirty-five yards iu length, a*. Landadowne, is extended to Friday, 14th February. At tlio Uood Templerß meeting at Eketaliuua on the Bth msttlw following officers were olected, Bro. E. Smith O. T., Sis. Carter, V.G., sis. Roiclie Secretary, Bro. Itoaoho, l'rmurer, Bro. W, Baylisa, Chaplain, Bro J. Korr, F.S. Bro. Hubick M. Bro. T. Baylias I.Q, Major-general Sir John M'Neill, who will bu remmnhm d by old New Zealandcrs as having served with groat destinetioii In the Maori war of 18G1-2, in which he won tho Yictoiian Cross, has been'retired from the active list of the army by the operation of what is kuown 83 the "non-employ went for five years" clause? Ho preferred to retain his equorryship to the Queen to accepting a command. Ho guoa out to India this mouth, and returns to England in the suite of the Duke of Connaught. A man named Pentz, lately postmaster at Heidelberg (South Africa), has lodged with tho police at River Digginps, Barkly, au 80-carat diamond of the finest quality, worth £2,00t. He says it was given to him fourteen years ago by a young lady to whom he was then engaged, and not knowing its value he kept it, It was only the other day that he disoov.»red its worth, and in view of the stringency of thelaw on the possession of diamonds in tiouth Africa lie thuught it piudent to lodge It with the police pending inquiries.

Coroner Stratford docs not lot the grass grow under Ins feet. Bearing of the finding of the body of young lUvou who was drowned in the Waitaki 011 the 2r>th ult.. ho left liia homo for Kurrow at 7 p. ni., reaching there at midmsjht. A jury was hastily summoned, the onquiry lastod from I ti'l 3 a, m,, when the coroner set out on the return journey roaohinß home'at 8.30, To do eighty miles in thirteen hours and a-hulf isn't at oil bad work, and (adia the 1 North (Jtngo Times') .Mr Stratford is not a young maii either. An inobriato rejoicing in tho name of Nis' Lund, .so far. lorgot himself as- to go to the Eketahuna Police Station, at 2 am. on Friday call Constable Hoche outside on some pretense ov other and told himhe.was a 4-—. W.o believe at this the constable only advised l)im to g«i homo, but whoa bo told the Cuiißfable his wife wag ono also, the Constablo no longer tendered advicebutsuddoiily bociiinevery practical and we believe that Nis Lund was transferred from the front of testation to the lock-up In the quickest time on record. Next day saw him a wiser or soberer (nan and Ijv.e shilljngs worse off. Mood news Iroip Wellington, and quite true, youcanget a splendid harmonium from L 5, piano or oigan from Lls. organ with diviilecl pctsvo ioiiplar?. all in solid black walnut cases from Ll7. This beats all the cheapest houses in town, Pianos tuned for 7s, or 'by the year four visits LI, travelling eiponseß added' All kinds of musical : instrument tuned, cleaned,"and repaired, new reeds put in accordeans, Concertinas,' harmoniums, and organs; :also Lliberal. exchanges made. Any instrument may bo purchased on tho time payment' system from Sis 6d per iveek. Call and exchange your old piano'for ft uoy m pt F. J Pinny's Musical Instrument'ilepnt, Manners-street, Wellington. (Sole agent ■ of, the oelebrated Worcester , orgaaa.)— iJDvr

An inch of rain foil last night in Mai-' tori on, ceiling tho air and reftoabiug thegruund. . ■ ,• 1 The case Elley v Elley is setdown for hearing in the pivorco Court Wellington for chf 21st instant. ' ' ' Mr RM Hamilton has been appointed by tho Wellington City Couuoil,luapeutor of Buildings, at a- salary of £2OO per annum. ■

. Messrs Elliotteand-Haroailvertiso for several flw mill hands, particulars are ttivon in our wanted/columns, , - It is.stated on good authority that a syndicate has been farmed h open a trade with Fiji, Samoa, Tonga, and other Islands, by moans of a diro'ot shipping service, via Now Zoalandand Australia, Some of the pruprioturs are expected to arrive in Auckland shortly on their way to the Islands. Mr Sherard, an English newspaper correspondent in Paris, has won the tioket at the Paris lottery, entitling him to Exhibition bonds worth £20,000. The Dunedin Exhibition has now boon open eleven weeks, and the attendance has been 344,228, including; 217,110 who paid cash at the doors. 'llia receipts now exceed £15,000. Oscar Meyer, Commissioner for New South Wales, leaves for Sydney for three weeks. ~

Caui fit " Tho Fair," for to-morrow wo shall have some remarkable bargains to show in thn costume department at "The Fair," To Aro Hiuae, Wellington. CaUj at " Tho lair," for to-morrow we expect crowds ot busy automata picking up the ohoico lots in caetumcs. Such as thcEO lis Gd print costumes lor Is, 4s Gd print costumes for 2s 6d, 5s Gd print costumes lor 3s 6d, at To Aro House, Wellington, Call at " The, Fair," for to-morrow you will have a chance that may never again, thai is of buying olioicc print costumes at 8s Gd for ss, at 10s Gd for 6s, at 12s Gd for 7s 9d, at 13s 6(1 for 8s Gd, at 15s G1 lor 33 lid, and at 18s Gd for 12s 9d, at" The fair," To Aro House, Wellington. o,\Mi at " The Fair," for to-morrow, m are going to sacrifice out ladies' stuff costumes thusly-Fashionable stuff costuraeß., marked 21s for 1' s, 22s Gd for 15s, 27s Gd for 17s;(id,. 33s 6d for 21e, 49s Gd lor 22; 6d, G3s for 4Us, at " Tho Fair," To Aro Bouse, Wellington. .Call at"'llio Fair,"to seethe lad'es' print wrappers that are thus reduced in price*, 2s lid for la Gd, 5s Gd for 3s Od, Gs lid tor 4s I Id, 10j Gd for Gs !)d, 14s 61 for 9s Gd, 17a Gd for 13s Gd, at" Tho Fair," To Aro House, Wellington. , ' Cam at l-, lhe Fair," and purchase our Ilia Gd ohoico dressing gowns for Gs 9d, 12s Gd for lis Gd, 15s Gd for 10s Gd, 18s Gd for ' 12s 01, 25s for 17s Gd; 29s G.l for 21b, at ' ."'JhslV Te Aro House, Wellington,- . Advt.