I.—9a.

110

[MISS HOLMES.

The Chairman: Have you the demands which were put forward some time ago as those which should be agreed to by the Court? Miss Holmes: Yes. This is the statement of claims: — Domestic Workers' Industrial Union of Workers. Claims. 1. Eight classes of workers shall be recognised'— i.e., housekeepers, lady-helps, generals, housemaids, nursemaids, kitchenmaids, laundrj'maids, and cooks. 2. The week's work shall consist of sixty-eight hours, to be divided as follows: — Work to commence on every morning, except on holidays mentioned in clause 3, at 6.30 a.m., and cease on Mondays, Tuesdays, Fridays, and Saturdays at 7.30 p.m., with three intervals of half an hour each for meals, and one hour's interval in the afternoon on each day. On Thursdays work shall cease at 2 p.m., with two intervals of half an hour each for meals. On Sundays work shall cease at 2 p.m., with two intervals of half an hour each for meals, but domestics shall, if required, prepare tea between the hours of 5.30 p.m. and 6.30 p.m. on alternate Sundays. On work shall cease at 10 p.m., with three intervals of half an hour each for meals, and one hour interval in the afternoon. On Sundays two hours shall be allowed to attend church in the morning. 3. Holidays. —Christmas Day, Boxing Day, New Year's Day, King's Birthday, Prince of Wales's Birthday, Anniversary Day, Easter Monday, Labour Day, and all statutory holidays shall be deemed to be holidays, and work done on those days shall be paid for at the rate of one shilling (Is.) per hour. Domestics shall be in every evening at 10 p.m., except on Thursday evenings, and on that night 12 p.m. 4. Members of the union shall be emploj'ed in preference to non-menibers. 5. Where uniform is required to be worn it shall be provided by the employer— dress, caps, collars, cuffs, and aprons. 6. That employers provide well-ventilated bedrooms for domestic workers. 7. In case of a dispute over the interpretation of any of the foregoing clauses, or any difference of opinion on matter not therein dealt with, the point at issue shall, if either part}- so desire, be referred to a committee consisting of two representatives of the union (to be appointed within twenty-four hours of the service on the secretary or president of the union of a notice in writing by the employer calling for such appointment), and a like number of representatives on behalf of the other party or parties interested (to be appointed within twenty-four hours of the service on such party or parties of a notice in writing by the secretary or president of the union calling for such appointment), and of a chairman to be chosen by all the representatives so appointed. Such chairman shall have a casting-vote only. Any matter referred to such committee shall be decided by the majority of the votes of members of the committee, or, in case of equality of votes, by the casting-vote of the chairman. If such committee shall fail to appoint a chairman and give a decision on any matter referred to it within seven days of the time of the service of the last of such notices on the secretary or president of the union on the one hand or the other party to be affected on the other, then either party shall be at liberty to deal with such matter as if this clause had not been inserted herein. If such committee shall, within the said period of seven days, give its decisiou on such matter, then such decision shall be final and conclusive as between the union and everj* member thereof on the one hand and any employer who appointed representatives on such committee on the other. Dear Madam, — Trades Hall, Lower Cuba Street, 15th February, 1907. The enclosed claims of the Domestic Workers' Union are forwarded to you with the hope that you will acknowledge their reasonableness by signing the accompanying agreement. By doing so you will obviate the unpleasantness of appearing personally or by agent before the Conciliation Board or the Arbitration Court, If such is your wish, please sign the agreement and return to me on or before the 22nd February," 1907. Yours respectfully, W. H. Westbrooke, Assistant Secretary. I am willing to observe the conditions as stated in the claims of the Domestic Workers' Union, and will abide by the same in my future relationship with any domestic worker I may employ. Employer : Address : Date : Will you permit me to state the present position of the domestic workers? Domestic workers are in a measure amateurs. They do not intend, when they start, to oontinue as domestic workers all their lives. They are not quite in the same position as a man who learns a trade. A carpenter is a carpenter for his life. He may rise to the higher branches in his trade, but he continues a