I.—lo

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30. Is there anything of the " team " system or " slave " system ofvAmerica in your trade ?— There is a system where work hands and machinists all work together. The machinists' wages are dependent upon the wages of the other girls; i.e., supposing the girls make £1 per week, the machinists would also make the same. 31. You are perfectly satisfied that the southern towns are as well equipped in every way as Auckland ?—Yes ; we understand that the management is very much better. In the Arbitration Court an Auckland clothing manager gave evidence, and it was proved that the southern management was much better. 32. You are perfectly satisfied that, with your ten years' experience, there is absolutely no cure for the difficulty except a uniform award ?—Yes, I am perfectly satisfied of that. 33. Have you seen this Bill now under consideration by the Committee ?—Yes. 34. In your judgment does clause 85 sufficiently provide for power being given to make a uniform award ?—We have suggested an amendment. 35. Mr. Morrison.] Have eilher of you ladies worked in Auckland? Miss Whitehorn : No, we have not; but we sent two girls from Dunedin specially to work there. We have a girl in Wellington now who was working in Auckland quite recently. 36. Therefore your knowledge of the appliances in Auckland is only from information you have received in your capacity as officers of your unions ?—Yes. 37. Information received from employes who have worked there?— Yes; and from Mr. Broughton, who was manager of Clarke's factory in Auckland. 38. Is that a large factory ?—The largest in Auckland. 39. You are thoroughly satisfied that, as far as the appliances are concerned, Wellington, Dunedin, and Christchurch are as up-to-date as Auckland ?—Yes, I am quite satisfied. 40. In reply to a question put to you, you stated that there were over twelve hundred employes in the unions in the three centres, and that there were only sixty-six in Auckland who belonged to the union ? —Yes, that is so. 41. Can you give us an idea of the number of girls who are employed as tailoresses in the various branches in Christchurch, Dunedin, and Wellington who are not unionists ?—ln Dunedin there are no non-unionists, in Christchurch there are none, and in Wellington there are very few. 42. How many girls are employed in the tailoressing department in Auckland?— About five hundred. 43. And you say only sixty-six belong to the union ?—Yes. 44. That is five hundred as compared with twelve hundred ?—We have fifteen hundred at the very lowest. 45. So the number of employes in this business in the three centres numbers fifteen hundred? —Yes, quite fifteen hundred. 46. At any period in the history of the Dunedin union did you send girls to Auckland to work there?— Yes, no later than last year. We sent girls up to try to reorganize the union, and find out the system and methods of working. These girls worked up there for six weeks, and then came down and made a report. 47. Will you kindly tell us the nature of that report—that is, unless it be of a private or confidential nature ? —lt is in regard to wages. The wages of one of the girls, who, I may say, was an exceptionally good hand and was engaged on exhibition work, could not be taken as a fair test— I mean you could not go by her wages. She received £1 per week, and the other girl, who was employed on piece-work at trouser-making, received from 10s. to 12s. per week. 48. The girl whom you said was engaged on exhibition work, and received £1 per week— what wage could that girl command elsewhere than in Auckland?—£l ss. a week. 49. And with regard to the girl who was employed at trouser-making on piece-work—what could she command in either Wellington, Christchurch, or Dunedin on a similar class of work?— This class of work, trouser-finishing, does not command good pay. As a weekly hand she would receive about 18s. a week. 50. Yes, but I want to know, if she had been on piece-work, doing similar work in accordance with the manner in which it is done in the three other centres, what wages would she earn ?—I should say from 18s. to £1 per week. 51. Is there a tailoresses' log in Auckland at all, or is each employer an authority in regard to it?—We understand that a log has not been kept at all. The last agreement has just run out. There is a clause which says that if any employer breaks away from the agreement the whole thing becomes null and void. So there is practically no log. 52. The Chairman.} Have you a copy of that agreement ?—Yes, I will hand it in. 53. Mr. Morrison.] Perhaps it would be advisable to have the Dunedin log as well.—l could show you the two logs. 54. Mr. Tanner.] Will you read that passage you have just referred to ?—I have not got it here. It is at home in a scrap-book of mine. 55. Will you hand those documents in this afternoon, then ?—Yes. 56. The Chairman.] I understand that you will hand these documents in this afternoon in order to supplement what you have stated?— Yes. 57. Mr. Morrison.] You are thoroughly satisfied that this subclause of clause 86, if amended by inserting the words " in the colony " and embodied in this Bill and passed, will meet the particular point to which you have referred? —Yes. 58. And you state that the employers of Dunedin, Christchurch, and Wellington are in thorough sympathy in regard to a universal award ?—Yes, so long as there is a uniform award throughout the colony where goods are interchangeable we are satisfied. 59. Have you any idea of the class of work turned out in Auckland ? —Yes, 60. Is it a lighter class of work ?—Yes. $1, More slovenly put together?— Yes,