THE SWEATING SYSTEM.

Gisborne Standard and Cook County Gazette, Volume II, Issue 215, 30 October 1888, Page 2

THE SWEATING SYSTEM.

HEARTLESS DUNEDIN EMPLOYERS. A correspondent writes as follows; The assertion of the Otago Daily Times correspondent is that a woman, with an invalid husband and two young children, employed finishing Crimean shirts, is paid 8d per dozen shirts, and if she works her hardest can only earn 4d per day. Other ” sweaters ”in town give ninepence per dozen, but the employer in question is a good business woman, and nan drive a better bargain, as she is the possessor of fine shops and a beautifully furnished home. Some of the oases have been investigated by the Rev Rutherford Waddell, who finds that the facts are absolutely correct. Moleskin trousers finishers work 12 hours per day, and earn from 2s to 2s 9d ; woollen shirt finishers get Is 6d per dozen, and some trousers finishers 2d per pair. The following is tha result of enquiries made m Christchurch by a special reporter of the Presslt is satisfactory to be able to state that careful investigation has failed to disclose the existence in this city of any such dens as those described in Dunedin. At the Kaiapoi Factory some work in tbe shape of Crimean shirts has been given out, but a fair price, enabling an expert to earn something like £1 to £l'ss per week, has been given. The lowest price paid has been 4. par dozen for Crimean shirts, all that the worker has to find being the needles. The system of piecework in the factories here and the payment of fair wages according to work done has, it is stated, entirely prevented the midst of such an undesirable class as and so far as can ba gathered from deuce it is not likely that this state of things will ba altered. In Dunedin there te no doubt that to some extent sweating does exist, and that women are paid shamefully low wages for their wo> k, but, as has been said, nothing of tha kind exists here as far as can be ascertained. Care has been taken to prosecute enquiries amongst those who would know whether such a system obtains here, and the unanimous answer received to the questions put is that it does not. Thia is very satisfactory, and no doubt will allay much anxiety on the question, particularly after reading the discoveries made with regard to the trade in Dunedin.

A correspondent of tbe Auckland Star writes Very few people will readily believe that sweating is carried on in Naw Zealand, but for the last fifteen years we have had firms where the system has been in full swing; During tne last three years of depression, ow. ing to scarcity ot employment among men, -mothers of families have sought to earn some, thing to keep from being compelled to ask for charity, and boon supplied with Work freely, but at what a pries I Men’s trousers (well made), 2s 9d per dozen; boys’ troussrs, iso4 Ser dozen; men’s shirts, 4> per dozen ; and □ys’, 2a per dozen. This in Auckland, What can they earn by such work 1 I know ot three -women possessing two good sewing machines and economising labor (by working together), who work early and late, and fail to make 80s per week between them. I call that sweating. But the highly rsspsctable firms which supply work at those prines are among the shining lights in the city,

The Paris Municipal Council is doing its best to repress “ marobandage,” the French equivalent for “ sweating." A resolution was recently passed to the effect that workmen engaged on works for tha town must bain the direct employment of the concessionaires or contractors, without any intermediary or middlemen, on pain of the contract bring can. celled and the infliction of a fine. The evil seems to be quite as pronounced in the French as in tha English capital, but applies more especially to the' building trades. It is not. however, confined to these. Tbe natives from the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg have introduced the system into the tailoring trade, and ara regarded by the Parisian workmen as are the Polish Russian Jews by the Eagiish workers at the East End, Woman’s labor is paid for worse, if possible, than in London. Many seamstresses work all the week round for 4s, and at the task of fixing buttons ou cards 4Jd per day is considered extraordinarily good pay. The system, which is an indirect cause of the present labor disturbances, haa ths effect of preventing many skilled French workmen from gaining employment. Owing to the manner the work te dote, it te also injuring the reputation of natioml industries, such as electro-plating work.