H.—2

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162. Mr. Bradshaw.] When a breach of the Act has been made they speak in that way ?— Exactly. 163. Mr. Fulton.] Do any of the workwomen complain to you as to departures from the Act ?— Tes ; in the shop, and by anonymous letters, they have complained of having been working overtime ; and if I get a hint in that way I call at the establishment, ask to be shown the workroom, walk round, and see what is going on. 164. The Chairman.] Tou do not ask for any complaints ? —No. 165. Mr. Fulton.] flow many factories or places come within these Acts in Dunedin?—lt is almost impossible to say, because any one employing one or two persons would come within them. There must be upwards of fifty. Tou see, one dressmaker employing only one woman would come under the Acts as much as the one who employs fifty. 166. In the cases referred to by you as havinu been brought before the Court, and in which only a fine of Is. aud costs was inflicted, were there any special reasons given by the Magistrate why the fine should be so small ? —I do not remember anything special. I did not press for a heavy penalty, but merely asked that the law should be enforced, with a view that it should be understood and become publicly known that such was the law. 167. Then I understand it was as much because you did not press for a penalty as anything else that the amount was so small ?—Tes ; I did not ask for a penalty. 168. Mr. Strode.] It was the first offence in every case ?—Tes. 168 a. And with the view of giving publicity to the Act ? —Tes. 169. The Chairman.] Is there any salary attached to your appointment under the Act? —None. Mr. Nathaniel David Herman examined. 170. By the Chairman.] lam a clothing manufacturer, of the firm of Herman and Co. Work is commenced in the factory at half-past 8 a.m. and ended at half-past 5 p.m., in summer, and 5, in winter. I have at present between thirty and forty hands employed. I am not aware whether any are under fourteen years of age. Ido not question their ages. The majority are under eighteen, the others are married women. Some are engaged on piecework, but the greater number are paid by the week. The apprentices are weekly hands; they are bound for eighteen months, and paid according to abilities. Sewing apprentices get 2s. 6d. for the first six months, ss. for the second, and 7s. 6d. for the third. Machinist apprentices get ss. for the first six months, 10s. for the second, and 15s. for the third. I have five machinists. All the others are either working for the machine, making up, or finishing off. The machinists are all girls, aud work continuously at the machines —sewing-machines. One hour, from 12 to 1, is allowed for dinner in the summer, and half an hour in winter, on account of leaving off at 5 o'clock. Nearly all remain on the premises to take their dinner, as they live at a considerable distance. They can warm anything they require at the stove. There are means for heating the room if required. The pieceworkers take work home, but not the apprentices. The pieceworkers are at liberty to take home whatever work they think proper. They are always required to work the ordinary time in the factory. The pieceworkers earn on an average 30s. to 50s. a week. Men are employed damping and pressing, also a cutter. The cutter gets £7 a week. The women never do that work ; they are not strong enough to use the shears or iron, and I never allow them to do it. I think in some houses in Dunedin women do use the iron, hut it is not proper work for them. The men I employ have not combined together. I do not take in unionists. There is no tailor in the establishment, that lam aware of, who belongs to the Society. If I took them on, the Society would not let them stop with me, and would use all sorts of inducements to take them away. It is simply because of the machine work. Mine is entirely a tailoring establishment. I keep all the holidays mentioned in the Act, and make no deduction in the wages of apprentices and machinists. The Act is oppressive in one thing—namely, when we are compelled by the limitation of the hours to leave off work when we are pushed to complete an order on a Saturday, when sometimes a quarter of an hour's extra work would enable the order to be completed. Although that is the case with every factory, it is especially hard in my case, from the fact that I manufacture for nearly all the retail shops in town, the small orders from which are often particularly pressing on Saturdays. I have been regarding as coming under the Act all public holidays declared by the Mayor or otherwise. I have complied with the Act as regards posting up the notice required, but have not registered at the Resident Magistrate's Court, not being aware of the necessity for so doing. Miss (a.) examined, stated:— 171. lam twenty years of age. lam employed at present in 's establishment, and have been there about four months. I commence work at 9 o'clock in the morning, and leave at 6 in the evening. We are allowed one hour for dinner, from 1 till 2. Most of the girls get their dinner on the premises, as they come from a distance. We have everything very convenient for so doing. I am employed at dressmaking, and work principally with the machine. I get higher wages than those who do not work with the machine. My wages are 255. a week. lam not working constantly at the machine, there not being sufficient to keep two machinists going. The second machinist is kept going. There is no piecework. I never take work home, or ask for piecework to take home. We are not allowed to take work out of the room. The average earnings of the young women are from 255. to 30s. a week; the others, younger ones, get from 7s. to 20s. There are two apprentices. There are thirteen dressmakers, and as many mantle-makers. In our room I do not think there are any under fourteen. Some of the young women sit at their work the whole time. Some of them think it unhealthy. Ido not find it so. As regards the room, it is the best I have been in. The young persons know of the regulations under the Act: we all know about them. We get paid for four holidays, and do not expect to be paid for more than four. lam living with my parents. I give them a portion of my wages. My father earns his living. I have a brother older and a sister younger than myself. Both are in employment. We have a machine in the house, which is only used for ourselves. I have no particular statement to make to the Commissioners. I should not like the 3—H. 2.