16. Duration.

This award shall be and remain in force for a period of three years from the date of gazettal. F. A. A. RUSSELL, Chairman.

DENMAN CHAMBERS, Phillip Street, Sydney.

Notes.

Posting awards.-Employers in the industries in respect of which this award is in force are to keep a copy of the award exhibited at the place where the industries are carried on so as to be legible by their employees, subject to a penalty of £10 ($48.67). See Industrial arbitration act, sec. 68 (2).

Aged, infirm, and slow workers.-The industrial registrar is the tribunal to determine where and on what conditions any aged, infirm, or slow worker may be permitted to work for less than the minimum wage and has power to revoke or cancel any such permit. See Industrial arbitration act, sec. 27.

Domestic Group, No. 5 Board-Laundries.1

[Published in Government Gazette No. 75 of 29th April, 1914.]

In the matter of an application by the Factory Employees' Union of Australasia to the Domestic Group, No. 5 Board, to determine industrial matters.

Award.

The Domestic Group, No. 5 Board, having heard the above-mentioned application, makes the following interim award:

1. Hours of labor.-Forty-eight hours as a maximum shall constitute a week's work and shall be as follows: On the first four days of the week from 8 a. m. until 1 p. m. and from 2 p. m. until 5.30 p. m.; on the fifth day from 8 a. m. until 1 p. m. and from 2 p. m. until 6 p. m.; and on the sixth day (Saturday) from 8 a. m. until p. m.

1

The above provisions do not apply to carters.

Sorters and packers may work on Saturday until 4 p. m: Provided, That in such case they shall cease work on the following Monday at 2.30 p. m.; and shall not in any week work more than 48 hours without payment for overtime.

2. Wages.-Wages shall be paid by the week in cases in which weekly wages only are herein provided, and by the week or by the day in the cases in which provision is herein made for wages by the week or the day, and wages shall be paid at piece rates in the cases for which piece rates only are herein provided, and at piece rates or by the day in the cases for which piece rates or wages by the day are herein provided; and the lowest rates of wages and prices for piecework payable to employees shall be as follows:

(a) Folders, 12s. ($2.92) per week; folders feeding mangles, 14s. ($3.41) per week. Folders are to be employed in all the different processes of folding, shaking out, attending to mangles of all descriptions. This indicates their employment: (b) Shirt machinists: Beginners, 12s. ($2.92) per week; employees doing 6 dozen per day, 16s. ($3.89) per week; employees doing 8 dozen per day, 17s. 6d. ($4.26) per week; employees doing 10 dozen per day, £1 ($4.87) per week; employees doing 12 dozen per day or over, £1 38. 6d. ($5.72) per week.

(c) Collar machinists: Beginners, 12s. ($2.92) per week; employees doing 25 dozen per day, 16s. ($3.89) per week; employees doing 30 dozen per day, 17s. ($4.14) per week; employees doing 35 dozen per day, 18s. 6d. ($4.50) per week; employees doing 40 dozen per day, £1 ($4.87) per week; employees doing 50 dozen per day or over, £1 38. 6d. ($5.72) per week.

(d) Shirt and collar machinists doing boiled-starch work: Beginners, for the first three months, 12s. ($2.92) per week; after three months, £1 2s. 6d. ($5.47) per week.

(e) Body ironers, 16s. 6d. ($4.01) per week; sleeve ironers, 13s. ($3.16) per week. (f) Learners in hand ironing: For the first three months, 2s. ($0.49) per day; for the next three months, 2s. 6d. ($0.61) per day; and thereafter at the full rates herein provided.

One learner shall be allowed for every six persons or fraction thereof employed in the laundry.

(g) General employees, hangers-out, etc. Under 21 years of age, 16s. ($3.89) per week; 21 years of age or over, 17s. 6d. ($4.26) per week.

General employees are to be employed as hangers-out, and make themselves generally useful.

1 New South Wales Industrial Gazette, Vol. V, No. 3, p. 858 et seq.

(h) Women working in washhouse, £1 2s. ($5.35) per week; casual hands, 4s. ($0.97) per day.

(i) Starch ironers. Employees engaged in the ironing of any starched garment shall receive one-third of the price charged to the customer.

(j) Shirts ironed by hand. Mixed shirts, ls. 9d. ($0.43) per dozen; full-bosomed shirts, 28. ($0.49) per dozen.

(k) Shirts blocked out by hand and polished by machine, 1s. 3d. ($0.30) per dozen. (1) Backing up machine-ironed shirts, 8d. ($0.16) per dozen.

(m) Shirts ironed by machine and body ironers, 6d. ($0.12) per dozen.

(n) Plain ironers, 6d. ($0.12) per dozen, or 3s. 6d. ($0.85) per day, at the option of the employer. Such option to be exercised at the commencement of the employment. Plain ironers are to be engaged ironing all the different kinds of ladies', gentlemen's, and children's body linen, and all the different smaller articles to be done up in the laundry which are not starched. A plain ironer, if engaged on any starched work, shall be paid not less than one-third, as provided in clause (i) above.

(0) Hand collar and cuff ironers, 5d. (10 cents) per dozen.

Sorters. For the first three months, 15s. ($3.65) per week; for the next three months, 188. ($4.38) per week; after the first six months, £1 ($4.87) per week. For every five sorters employed in a laundry or fraction thereof, a girl under the age of 17 years may be employed at sorting at not less than 14s. ($3.41) per week. Such girl, on attaining the age of 17 years, shall receive the wage of 158. ($3.65) per week for the first three months, 18s. ($4.38) for the next three months, and £1 ($4.87) thereafter, as above provided.

(q) First starchers, £1 28. ($5.35) per week; one assistant starcher, 15s. ($3.65) per week. Starchers have to prepare their starch and to be engaged in the starch room rubbing down and brushing out the work.

(r) Starch machinists, 15s. ($3.65) per week. Starch machinists are to be in attendance upon the different kinds of starching machines and to straighten out the work after it has been starched.

(s) Employees operating starch machines and rubbing down, 15s. ($3.65) per week. (t) Male employees in washhouse, 21 years of age or over, £2 8s. ($11.68) per week. In laundries where three or more machines are in work, persons under 21 years of age may be employed to assist at the following rates: Fifteen years to 16 years, 138. ($3.16) per week; 16 years to 17 years, 15s. 6d. ($3.77) per week; 17 years to 18 years, 17s. 6d. ($4.26) per week; 18 years to 19 years, £1 ($4.87) per week; 19 years to 20 years, £1 5s. ($6.08) per week; 20 years to 21 years, £1 7s. 6d. ($6.69) per week. In laundries where one machine only is in work, persons under 21 years may be employed at the following rates: Under 19 years, £1 ($4.87); 19 years to 20 years, £1 5s. ($6.08); 20 to 21 years, £1 10s. ($7.30). Male workers in washhouse are to be in attendance upon all the different kinds of machinery in the washhouse, and to keep the same clean. (u) Boys sitting in cart, in charge of the same, whilst the carter is away, up to 16 years of age, 10s. ($2.43) per week; 16 years or over, 15s. ($3.65) per week. (v) Overtime shall be paid for at not less than the following rates: To female employees, time and a half the first two hours, and double time thereafter; to male employees, time and a half for the first hour, double time for the second hour, and 5s. ($1.22) per hour thereafter.

(w) All employees engaged in the different departments of the laundry may be shifted for the time being from one to another, providing the wages paid in the department where any employee may be shifted to are not on a higher scale than the wages paid in such employee's permanent or regular department. And in the event of any employee being shifted into a department where a higher scale of wages is paid, then and in such case the higher rate shall be paid to such employee.

3. Notice. One week's notice shall be given on either side to determine employment. Where such notice is not given by the employer, one week's wages shall be paid in lieu thereof; and where an employee, other than a casual hand, leaves without giving the week's notice, he or she shall forfeit any wages due not exceeding one week's wages.

4. Engagement and dismissal of hands.-Employers shall not, in the engagement or dismissal of their hands, discriminate against members of the employees' union, nor in the conduct of their business do anything for the purpose of injuring the said union, either directly or indirectly.

5. Holidays and holiday rates.-The following days shall be holidays: New Year's Day, Good Friday, Easter Monday, Eight Hours Day, the King's Birthday, Christmas

Day, or the day on which any of the above may be observed by the Government of New South Wales. The holiday shall be paid for at ordinary rates to workers by the day or week. All work done on a holiday shall be paid for at not less than double time; but this condition shall not apply to carters as regards holidays falling on a Monday: Provided, That the employees shall, as far as possible, make up the time taken for holidays, and to enable this to be done, the working hours hereinbefore provided shall not be obligatory during the week in which a holiday takes place.

6. Exemption of charitable laundries.-The Sisters of the Good Samaritan Order, the Sisters of the Good Shepherd Order (Ashfield), the Committee of the Church of England Home, and the Rescue Home of the Salvation Army (Stanmore) are granted exemption from the provisions of this award as regards the inmates of the said institutions and in so far as such inmates are employed in and about the work of laundries upon the following conditions:

(a) The working hours of the said inmates shall not exceed 48 hours per week. (8) No outside shall be done by the said inmates on the holidays above

specified, except Easter Monday.

(c) The management of each of the said institutions shall cooperate with the New South Wales Laundry Association in regulating the price charged to customers, so as to avoid undercutting or cause a reduction of wages.

Provided, That in the event of the above conditions not being complied with, the exemption hereby granted shall be liable to be rescinded by the board.

7. Currency and extent of award.—The provisions of this award shall come into operation on the 1st day of May, 1914. This award shall be binding till the 30th day of June, 1914, throughout the metropolitan area of the State of New South Wales.

* *

*

W. H. MOCATTA, Chairman.

UNIVERSITY CHAMBERS, Phillip Street, Sydney, April 24, 1914.

QUEENSLAND.

The first minimum-wage legislation in Queensland was in the wages boards act of April 15, 1908, modeled generally on the Victorian legislation. A feature differing from the Victorian law was the one permitting boards to be appointed by the governor in council without special parliamentary authorization. The act permitted the boards to be established with jurisdiction throughout the State, or limited, if desirable, to any special locality. As in most of the other Australian States, the legislation was aimed primarily at sweating.

The experience under the wages boards act down to June 30, 1912, is summarized in the report of the chief factory inspector for that year. During the four years in which the wages boards acts were in existence prior to June 30, 1912, 71 boards were established, of which number 30 were brought into existence during the fiscal year ending June 30, 1912. During the last year, also, numerous amendments were made in the act. The character of these amendments, as stated by the chief factory inspector in his report for the year 1912, is summed up in the following statement. The chief factory inspector has also in a number of cases indicated the reasons which suggested the change in the law.1

An important amendment repeals that section wherein it was provided that, if a man worked at an occupation for which a board had fixed a wage rate, even for less than one hour, he had to be paid

1 Report of the Director of Labour and Chief Inspector of Factories and Shops for the year ended June 30, 1912. Brisbane, 1912.

that rate for the whole of the time worked by him on that day. This has been removed, and a new section provided, which stipulates that, if a man works at two or more occupations for which a board has fixed a wages rate, he shall be paid the highest rate for the whole of the time so worked. As an instance, say he works one hour at 1s. 6d. (36.5 cents), another at 1s. (24.3 cents), and another at 9d. (18.3 cents), these three rates being fixed by a board, he must receive 1s. 6d. (36.5 cents) per hour for the three hours worked, or 4s. 6d. ($1.10), whereas otherwise he would receive 3s. 3d. (79.1 cents). All other time worked during the same day at work for which no rate had been fixed would only be paid for at such rate as may be agreed between employer and employee.

More power has now been given to the chairman to obtain evidence, as he will have the power of a police magistrate on such matters. Again, all members of boards, including chairmen, must now take an oath of office that they will not make any false or inaccurate statements, and will faithfully discharge their duties without fear or

favor.

It is also provided that now a board has to determine rates for repairing work, also duration of time of meals or "smoke oh," or other intervals of cessation of work, and the time and place of payment of wages.

Another important provision has been inserted, which permits of an employer continuing to employ his apprentices when, through depression of trade, he has to dispense with his other employees, thereby exceeding the proportion of apprentices determined by the board; but this can not be done without the permission of the minister after full inquiry has been made into the bona fides of the case. Provision is also made which will prevent the possibility of employees being classed as partners on being caught breaking the law by working during prohibited hours; this, therefore, makes such a possibility unlawful unless work is done under the written permission of the chief inspector. Instances have occurred, particularly among the Chinese furniture.makers, where the employees, on being found working after hours, were declared to be partners; hence the necessity for amending the act in this particular.

A very important and necessary amendment is that which empowers the chief inspector to issue licenses to aged, slow, and infirm workers pending confirmation of the special board relating to their occupation. Under the original act the special board granted such licenses, and instances of considerable hardship occurred through workers having to await the meeting of the board before being able to secure employment, no employer being agreeable to give the minimum wage until the board had dealt with the application; and very often, especially in regard to boards outside the Brisbane district, the meetings were few and far between. It is now possible for an old, slow, or infirm worker to secure a license immediately on application, and certainly not later than four days afterwards.

An employee must now claim arrears of wages within 14 days after they are due, and may, within one month after such claim, recover such arrears in any court of competent jurisdiction, but if the arrears extend over a period not exceeding 12 months, the balance remaining after paying employee the wages as previously stated shall be paid

into the consolidated revenue of the State. The object of this amendment is to prevent the possibility of an employee knowingly working for a wage less than that determined by a board, with a possible intention of putting in a claim for the higher wage after the arrears of same had accumulated for a period up to 12 months as provided in the original act.

One very important addition is that relating to the power given the governor in council to rescind an order in council whereby it is now possible, where it is desirable, to alter the title of a board or extend its jurisdiction.

Under a new section employers are protected against unscrupulous employees making false statements as to age, experience, or duration of previous employment.

A perusal of the amending act will disclose a number of minor but none the less valuable amendments, which help to render its administration less difficult.

As the members of special boards are appointed for a period of three years, fresh appointments were made in connection with 23 boards to date; in a few instances the retiring members were reappointed, whilst in others the personnel of the board was completely changed.

The determinations have, with one exception, considerably raised the average of wages paid, as a comparative perusal of the appendices of this and preceding annual reports will show. In some instances the increase in the weekly wage amounts to over 50 per cent, and, generally speaking, the rates of piecework have been increased very much in comparison with those prevailing prior to 1908.

The number of apprentices and improvers in proportion to the number of other workers has been fixed, in a great many instances to the entire satisfaction of all parties concerned, and taking the acts and the determinations made thereunder with their application to the trades and callings affected, I have no hesitation in expressing the opinion that the results of this legislation have been eminently satisfactory, and in this opinion I am supported by the expressions of approval which I have received daily during the preceding 12 months from those intimately interested-the employers and the employees.