L—iA

67

K. NOBDON.

the Committee "ill suggest that the tariffs should be raised, hut I would point out that it is not fair to ask us to put up the tariffs in licensed hotels if you are going to exempt private hotels and give therm a chanoe to continue under the <> 1< 1 conditions. That would give a handle to the people to H" from the licensed house to the private hotel. I want particularly to refer to clubs. because if this legislation is t<> be brought forward it is the duty of Parliament to not only include hotel servants but the servants of clubs. Now, with regard to the domestic servant. I would like to point mil to the I would like to say thai if Parliament is honest it cannot exclude this point —that the domestic servant is the most overworked worker in the community. It' there is a desire to protect the workers of the Dominion, well, do not take out one particular section, but treat them all alike. There are many domestic servants in this Dominion who are working all hours, and it' it is necessary to legislate for the benefit of servants then nil servants, including domestics, should be included. I would also like to reiterate what Mr. lieveridge said in regard to the workers employed by the Stale getting six days a week. 1 would point out particularly the Police Force. According to the newspaper reports even conservative old England has just passed a law which gives the members of the Police Force in England a full day's holiday in every week. If Parliament is honest anil wants to give all the- workers decent treatment, then why not start off with your own employees I 2. Mr. Uavey.] In regard to the payment of the housemaid, you quoted 17s. (id. as the wages paiil in Christchurch 1 Yes, it is 17s. 6d. in Christchurch and 16s. in Wellington. •'!. Mr. Hindmarsh.] You know that legislation is a matter of compromise, do you not.' Well, it should be a matter of principle. 4. What about old-age pensions— why begin at sixty-five.'— lhat is a question. 5. This principle you are harping on now is like clause '•• —you remember that .' Yes. Par liainent would not have clause 9, although it was a fair and just proposal. G. Your concern for the domestic servant is to block this Hill, is it not?— No. I take up the same position that Mr. Beveridge took up. 1 say that if you allow the Licensed hotelkeeper to close Ins hotel entirely, and give the hotelkeeper a chance to have a holiday as well as the employee, then I am quite in favour of this six days a week. 7. I do not see how it would ease your position at all if we were to enact a law thai even domestic servant should gel a whole day's holiday per week.'—Everybody would start off from scratch, and then we would probably approach Parliament with a view to getting Parliament to allow us to close the residential portion of the hotel on Sundays. One has to remember the internal management of a hotel. The travelling public have a nasty habit of coming along on a Sunday and wanting the same attention as on any other day, and if they do not get it they are going to kick up a noise. It does not affect only hotels such as Mi , . Beveridge s. but there are residential hotels charging ."is. and fis. a day which art' going to be affected considerably. 8. I/''. Clark.] You think there should be no sentiment in legislation at all? —I do not believe in sentiment in these business times. This is a utilitarian age. 9. You do not believe in the widow?— That is another question of sentiment. These widows have tw • three daughters, ami they are probably in a better position than the widow who lias not ent M daughter. 1(1. .I// , . Atmore.] Do you think that a man or woman working in a hotel where there are lestj than three workers employed has just ;is much right to one day's holiday per week as one who is one of a staff of sixty or eeventy .' You mean the exempted places? 11. Do you think that every man and woman is entitled to one day's holiday in a week? Theoretically, yes; but. as I pointed out, the internal working of the residential portion of a hotel makes it so different to other classes of business that it is not always practical to rive that '.lie day. 12. Do you believe in the principle of every man and woman having one day's holiday a week—it is not the theory we are talking about.'—You cannot put it into practice ami keep up the efficiency of the hotels as at present. 13. You are againstf every man and woman getting one day's holiday every week?— No. I say every man and woman should have one day's holiday, but it is not possible in the hotel business if you want to keep up the efficiency as at present. 14. Do you believe in the principle that every man and woman should have one day off in each week.' —I must qualify the answer. 15. You are fencing it?—l am not. Mi. You heard Mr. Bevcridgo say that he believed in every man and woman having one day off. and he did not qualify it?— Ami I have said the same thing. 17. Do you believe in every man and woman in New Zealand having one day off everi week .'—Yes. undoubtedly. 18. Do you believe in every tenant having his rent fixed by a Fair Rent Court .' I would not like to express an opinion on that point. lam not a hotelkeeper. 19. But you are representing them and are supposed to know about the internal economy of a hotel.'-- 1 suppose it is part of the internal economy of a hotel. As a general principle I ma\ say I am in favour of a fail , rent being charged for a hotel, but 1 have never thought of the machinery to l>o set up. 20. But you are representing l-'t; hotelkeepers? — l might say that the association I happen lo represent is perhaps different from some other associations in the Dominion. It consists of both wholesalers and retailers, and wine am] spirit merchants. The conditions in the trade ir Christohurch are not perhaps so bad as they are in other parts of the Dominion with regard to rents.