H.—s

64

John Bridge water examined. 1555. I am a commission agent and manufacturer of underclothing. 1556. It is more effective to get the public to aid the early-closing movement than any other mode. By Act of Parliament you cannot compel a man to close his shop after a certain hour, as he would keep his shop open himself. If any legislation is necessary, it is to restrict the hours of labour. There is nothing at present in the law to prevent an employer keeping his assistants from 8 in the morning to 12 at night. The Employment of Females Act should be extended to shopassistants. 1557. I have great difficulty in getting competent hands in the shirtniaking. Burnett Charles Beale examined. 1558. lam a medical practitioner practising in Auckland. I am also M.E.C.S. 1559. In my practice I have had many factory hands, and have noticed in some of them a tendency to incipient consumption and like diseases. 1560. I attribute that condition to overcrowded rooms, in vitiated atmosphere, and perhaps bad housing at night and insufficient nutritive food. I think 600 cubic feet of space for every individual necessary for health. I would consider 140 cubic feet for each individual would aggravate disease. I have noticed anaemia and chlorosis in some of my patients who are factory hands. I consider this is from insufficient food. William Johnston examined. 1561. lam manager of the Auckland Fibre Company. Our full number is 90 boys and youths and 12 men. The last pay-day it was 12 men and 59 boys and youths. We are making alterations, and after Easter we shall have the full number of the staff. 1562. The working-hours are 48 per week, and never were otherwise, beginning at 7.50 and working to a quarter past 12, resuming at 1, and knocking off at a quarter past 5 : that is on ordinary days, and knocking off on Saturday at 12.30 p.m. During last summer months we worked 54 hours per week, 6 hours being overtime, but for this they got paid a full day. 1563. With regard to the age, we question the boys very closely when they come. 1564. Of fifty-nine boys, four receive 145., three 10s., four 95., thirteen Bs., twenty-three 75., and seven 6s. and ss. (id. After Easter, when we resume with the full staff, the additional boys will be of the class to whom we pay Bs. a week. We do not have piece-work, all wages. One boy is detailed half an hour before dinner-time to collect the food that requires heating. We have a hot hearth for the purpose. 1565. Half the raw material used is New Zealand produce. There is a great deal of badlydressed flax, and in its manufacture there is a good deal of dust flying about. We only take the best-dressed flax. 1566. In coming here I only wished to contradict statements that have been made by certain persons before the Commission. Mr. C. M. examined. 1567. lam a compositor by trade. Our complaint is of the undue proportion of boys to men. lam the only man out of a staff of eleven. We look on the proprietor of the Star as the greatest offender in this matter. He employs an overseer and a sub-overseer, three journeymen, and from forty-five to fifty girls. The Star also brings out the Family Friend and the Farmer. The work that is given to the men is what the girls cannot do. The girls' ages range from fourteen to twentythree, and their wages from 2s. 6d. to £1 per week, with perhaps one or two exceptions who receive £1 ss. 1568. In the Star jobbing-room there are fifteen journeymen, and a boy to every man as near as possible —more if anything. There is no piecework. All the boys are indentured. After they have served it is optional whether they go on for another year at reduced wages, or leave. They have to stop the year at the same wage as they made the previous year. A boy is not treated as a journeyman until he goes to another place. 1569. The recognised wages for journeymen is £2 10s., and for piecework Is. per 1,000. f570. In the Herald office there are no girls employed except at bookbinding. Apprentices can learn better on weekly papers, or in jobbing-rooms, than on daily papers. The Society allows one boy to three men, but no boys on daily papers. In the Herald the proportion of boys to men is greater. 1571. The ventilation is very bad in the Herald office. In the Star office it is all right. The Herald paper is worked fairly well. Two boys who work in the day-time are in the habit of coming back at night. Ido not know whether they are compelled to do so. They work at setting advertisements which should be done by men, and if the boys who are worked so late at night are late in the morning, 9d. is knocked off them, that being overtime rates. 1572. I know this for a fact: when a girl has served a certain number of years, and her earnings are beyond £1 a week, she is found fault with for some trivial mistake and sacked. 1573. We consider McCulloch's is the fairest at present in the trade. They have to take cheap labour to compete with the larger houses. 1574. I have given my evidence at the request of the Society. Mr. C. N. examined. 1575. lam a draper's assistant. I complain of the long hours, which are sixty-four a week. In addition I spend nine hours in walking backwards and forwards to my place of residence. Two hands a week get off at 6 o'clock, three hands at 9 ; Saturdays at 11 o'clock. On the eve of holidays I have worked to half-past 12 and twenty minutes to 1. In places outside of Queen Street