1894.

VICTORIA.

FACTORIES ACT INQUIRY BOARD.

SECOND PROGRESS REPORT

OF THE

BOARD APPOINTED TO INQUIRE AND REPORT AS TO THE 'WORKING

OF THE "J3'ACTORIES AND SHOPS ACT 1890" ·wiTH REGARD TO

THE ALLEGED EXISTENCE OF THE PRACTICE KNOWN AS

"SWEATING" AND THE ALLEGED INSANITARY CONDITION OF

FACTORIES AND WORK-ROOMS.

--------------·-·-·--PRESENTED TO BOTH HOUSES OF PARLIAMENT BY HIS EXCELLENCY'S COMMAND.

--· -------------- ----------

l>g :<lut\ioril11: llOBT. S. BRAIN, GOVER~~IE~T PRINTER1 MELBOURNE.

No. l2.-[Is.]-4578B.

Preparation {not given). Printing (8e0 copiu:)

,

APPROXIMATE COST OF REPORT. £ s. d.

17 10 0

MEJ\tiBERS OF THE BOARD.

Chairman:

THE HoN. A. L. TucKER, l\I.L.A.

ltfember~:

G. H. BI~NNETT, EsQ., M.L.A.

J. BosisTo, EsQ., C.M.G., M.L.A.

F. H. BRoMLEY, EsQ., :;\;f.L.A.

"\V. lEVERs, EsQ., M.L.A.

J. W. KmToN, EsQ., M.L.A.

w·. MALONEY, EsQ., M.L.A.

THE HoN. D. MELVILLE, M.L.C.

THE HoN. A. 0. SAcHsE, M.L.C.

A Z

.1.

sgcOND PROGitFJSS REPORT.

To His E.xcellency the Governor zn Council.

MAY IT PLEASE Y OL'R ExcELLENCY :

The Board appointed on 1st June, 1893, "To inquire and report as to the working of the .F'actories and Shops Act 1890 with regard to the alleged existence of the practice known as 'slveating,' and the alleged insanitary condition of factories and work-rooms," have the honour to submit the following Progress Report:-

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1. Since the date of the ]ast Progress Report the Board have held 10 meetings, and have examined 25 witnesses.

2. In accordance '''ith the intention expressed in that Progress Report the Board have since devoted their inquiries solely to the furniture trade, and more particularly in relation to the alleg·ed disastrous effect of Chinese competition in connexion therewith. The evidence taken is of a comprehensive character, and care has been exercised that all those interested in the trade were afforded an opportunity of freely expressing their views. The witnesses examined comprise furniture warehousemen, retail dealers, furniture makers (masters and journeymen), members of the Cabinet­makers' Society, and one of the Government Inspectors of Factories specially selected to supervise the Chinese cabinetm~Lkers. In order that all sides of the question might be heard, :Mr. C. P. Hodges, the Chinese Interpreter, was also examined. This witness' lengthy experience of the habits and customs of the Chinese in Victoria has enabled him to give valuable information to the Board.

3. On behalf of the European cahinetmakers serious complaints were made as to the disastrous effects of the Chinese competition in the trade-a competition which it is alleged involves the very existence of the European artisans. It was pointed out that whereas in England the cabinetmaking industry was one of the best in that country, here, owing to the influx of Chinese, the trade was practically ruined so far as the European worker was concerned.

4. From a perusal of the evidence it will be seen that without doubt the trade has fallen upon evil days, and that according to the opinions of most of the witnesses there is at present not much prospect of any revival. To such a low ebb has the industry fallen that very few, if any, persons are now being apprenticed to it, and such a state of aftairs can only result in the total extinction of the trade at no very distant date, as far as it relates to Europeans. 'V ages have fallen to the lowest possible limits, and altogether things are in a very deplorable state. While this is in some measure due to the depressed condition of the country, yet the evidence points to the fact that it has been greatly accentuated by the competition of Chinese labour under circumstances that could not possibly obtain in the surroundings of a European and his family. Evidence was brought forward to show that there should he at least 200

. or 300 European cabinetmakers engaged in the city, whereas the number actually employed was estimated as much less, some setting down the number as 60 or 70. According to the evidence of the representatives of the Cahinetmakers' Society, ten years ago :WO members were employed in the trade, but at present only fifteen belonging to that body were at work.

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5. The following returns, compiled from information supplied by the Chief Inspector of Factories, will show the number of registered European and Chinese furniture factories and the number of hands employed therein for the years 18b6 to 1893 inclusive :-

Year,

1886 1887 1888 1889 1890 1891 1892 1893

Year.

1886 1H!:s7 1888 1RH9 1890 1891 1892 1893

Rl<:GISTEitED EUROI'EAN FURNITURE FACTORIES •

No. of Factot•ies, .Male Ho.nds employed.

6i 67 70 75 70 74 56 40

REGISTERED CHIN/'SE FURNITURE FACTORIES.

1,022 1,027 1,076 1,241 1,058 1,230

712 4il

No. of Factories. llo.nds employed.

23 25 40 45 41 33 29 33

320 3<H 435 .584 499 42H 383 290

6. It must be noted, however, that under the head of .European factories are included all branches of the furniture industry, whereas the Chinese employed in the manufacture of furniture devote their attention almost exclusively to cabinet-work, and do not at present engage in upholstering, chair-making, carving, or turnery. It is in reference to cabinetmaking particularly, then, that the full effect of the alien compe­tition is felt by European artisans, although indirectly it is contended that the whole furniture trade suffers therefrom.

7. An interesting report prepared for Mr. Service, the Premier in 1880, shows that the total number ot Chinese carpenters and cabinetmakers at work in Melbourne in that year was 66. Many of the Chinese then employed European labour, with a view of getting instruction in the various methods of manufacturing and polishing. According to the evidence brought before the Board the number of Chinese at work in the furniture trade increased steadily for some years after 1880, and then more rapidly ; the maximum being reached in 1889, when 45 factories were in existence, employing 584 men. Since then a steady diminution has set in.

8. Considerable difficulty is experienced in estimating the number of Chinese actually engaged in the furniture trade, as in addition to the registered factories it is knmvn that numbers of these aliens are working in unregistered premises, and these are an unknown quantity. In October last year the Chief Inspector of Factories caused a house-to-house visitation to be made in the cities, towns, and boroughs throughout the colony, for the purpose of ascertaining the number of Chinese engaged in the manufacture of furniture. He reported that on the 18th of that month there were 189 working in 26 registered factories ; 21 working in 7 unregistered factories (which were being dealt with and would soon be registered); and 18 each working by himself, and consequently not within the scope of the Act. This made the total number of Chinese working ou the date mentioned 228. · Some of the witnesses representing the Cabinetmakers' Society doubted the accuracy of the annual returns sent in by the Chief Inspector of Factories, believing that a far greater number were at work than there stated. They likewise contended that the Chinese, whatever their number was, were monopolizing all the trade that was going.

9. Mr. C. P. Hodges, Chinese Interpreter, communicated with the Board on 16th March last to the effect that about six weeks previous} y he had taken a census of the Chinese cahinetm:tkers at WOi"k in Melbourne. Those constantly at the bench he said nmnbered 120, and "casuals" or '"outsiders" from 40 to 50. V }fr. Hodges also added that "collapse" best described the pressnt state of the cahinetmaking trade amongst Chinese.

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10. Although it is only of late years the Europeans have felt the full effects of the alien competition, it appears that the Chinese have been engaged iu the cabinetmaking trade for very many years past. The evidence shows that they first commenced to make boxes for their countrymen for sending gold to China in the early gold digging period. These were simple of construction, 8 or 9 inches square, with a couple of auger holes in each side, so as to allow the edges to be stamped with sealing wax. This was the first step in the direction of working in wood. They afterwards turned their attention to the furniture trade, and began to make common chairs, which they hawked about the colony for sale. Then they made cheap wash­st~nds and toilet tables, and the commoner class of bedroom furniture.

11. Chinese cabinet-work is generally described as of inferior character, fastened together by the ai~ of nails and glue; and it is alleged that the art of dovetailing and mortising is practically unknown to these aliens. They are said to be imitators not designers, and that, while outwardly copying European work, they ignore the thorough manner in which the details of that work are carried out, and simply turn out an inferior article which will not last. This, combined with their way of living, and the peculiar conditions under which they exist, enables them to undersell their European rivals, and in effect to drive them out of the trade. The public, it is pointed out, do not profit by the competition, as Chinese work is dear at any price, and will not last like the European-madc furniture. Some of the witnesses, however, contend that many of the Chinese manuf:"tcturers are now turning out a better class of work, and make sideboards which sell as high as £25. But it is agreed on all hands that the best Chinese work is much inferior to European, and that it is only in the commoner class of furniture that the former can compete with our workers in quality of workmanship.

12. The present law requires the registration of all places ·wherein more than one Chinese is engaged working at any handicraft, or in preparing or manufacturing articles for trade or sale. In order to facilitate the carrving out of the law in this respect, it was deemed desirable, at an early stnge of· th;; administmtion of the Factories and Shops Act, to place the supervision of all Chinese fitctories in Melbourne under one inspector. That officer, Mr. W. H. Ellis, was one of the first witnesses examined by us, and the evidence given by him is important. It may be epitomized as follows :-

The condition of the Chinese furniture industry is very had indeed. There is such a keen competition that prices are cut down almost to starvation point. A strike amongst the Chinese, who had formed themselves into a union after the manner of European artisans, took ·place early in 1893 ; the members of the union went out to a man rather than submit to a reduction of 20 per cent. in their wages. Ultimately they agreed to go hack at a reduction of 7 per cent. The strike could not have occurred at a worse time for all concerned, as business was almost at a stand-still. This resulted in many of the factories being closed, and the employes, thrown on their own resources, commenced to make articles of furniture themselves and send them to the auction-rooms. A deplorable state of affairs followed. The prices received f.or the furniture sohl at auction in most cases barely pays for the price of the material used in its manufacture, and, as .the first call on the proceeds of the sale is devoted to paying for the timber, the cabinetmaker is often left with little or nothing to reimburse him for his labour. This condition of affairs, it is pointed out, cannot last long, and Mr. Ellis thinks it is only a question of time when the Chinese, who commenced by ruining the Europeans, will end by ruining themselves. Most of the large Chinese factories in Melbourne are closed, as nearly all their owners have had to compromise with their creditors or declare themselves insolvent. At the date of his examination there were only two large Chinese factories in Melbourne, employing 30 or 40 hands. All the factories were stocked with goods, and no orders were coming in. The small places, with hardly an exception, were making cheap goods for auction. The strike resulted in the diminution of the number of Chinese engaged in the cabinet trade.

The Chinese generally, the inspector further stated, have as apprentices half-castes, who are paid 9s. a week a.t first, with a small increase annually. The term of apprenticeship is three years. The half-castes are useful in many ways, acting as interpreters and making out invoices. Europeans, he said, were sometimes employed in the alien factories, and about twelve months previous he had seen four or five Europeans working in one Chinese establishment.

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1 3. Other witnesses corroborated this evidence as to the position of the Chinese cabinetmakers themselves, which they acknowledged to be very bad. Many of them were said to be on the verge of starvation, and to be dependent on the charity of their own countrymen. Owing to the failure of so many factories, it was asserted that timber merchants were asking cash for all material supplied, and that consequently the number engaged in the furniture trade was rapidly diminishing.

14. Chinese competition was said by some witnesses to be the fruitful and main cause of "sweating " in the furniture trade. lt was the lever used by sellers to sweat manufacturers, who in turn sweated their employes and small home workers. One of the witnesses, a master cabinetmaker, gave evidence on this point as follows (vide Minutes of Evidence, Q. 6149 et seq.) :-

"I principally manufacture for the warehouses. The warehousemen hold the Chinese as a bogey over the English manufacturer simply to suit their own ends. They offet· me starvation prices for the work, and if I refuse to do it they threaten to get the Chinese to do it ; and after that they go to the Chinese and get them to do it fol' less money.

"Can you give an illmltration. Take an article that can be macle for £2-the warehouse says it will pay £2 for it-and say the Chinese will make it for 35s.?-Yes, and they wish me to do it for the same price, and after that they go to the Chinese ana get them to do it for still less. "

"They use you twice to get the })rice down? -They do.''

A journeyman also spoke similarly. He said ( tlide Minutes of Evidence, Q. 4831)-

"It" (the Chinese element) "has caused the furniture sellers to so sweat the manufacturers that they in turn have sweated the men, till at last the men are now working for £ l and 30s. a week, piece-work, first­class skilled men, and they have to work very hard all day to get that-eight hours a day."

15. Other witnesses asserted that most of the sweating resulted from the competi­tion between cabinetmakers who set up in business as masters without sufficient capital. For example, it was stated by a dealer that a manufacturer with whom he did business would supply him with an article at £5. An employe of the latter would come to him and inform him he was going into business on his own account, and would turn out a similar article for '£4 10s. Then the manufacturer, hearing this, would make a further reduction, and so it would go on. These witnesses argued that over-competition amongst Europeans, and not Chinese competition alone, was the real origin of sweating in the furniture trade.

16. The evidence of furniture makers, both employers of labour and workmen, was pretty unanimous as to the injury inflicted upon the European artisans by their Asiatic rivals. The :members of the Cabinetmakers' Society testified that the only employment they could get was in connexion with the superior class of furniture, for which at present there was very little demand. The Chinese had practical1y monopolized the rest of the trade, and unless steps were taken to remedy the evil it would only be a matter of time when the society and European cabinetmakers would cease to exist. The recognised wage of the society was 9s. a day, but, owing to the cutting down of prices through alien competition, first-class men working very hard could not earn more than 20s. or 30s. per week at piece-work even if fully employed. Some were working for as little as 15s. a week. Referring to a particular shop, one witness said that the best price paid there for making kauri extension dining tables, 6 feet by 3ft. 6in. and staining in imitation of walnut, was 15s. This was a "sweating" establishment, as the price in other shops was 19s. He further stated (vide Minutes of Evidence, Q. 4831 et seq.)-

" This price, however, was reduced to 14s., and the m6n earned from 30s. to 42s. a week at that• Further reductions were made to 10s. each, and at last one man and a grown-up son started to make them· and they made six a week between them, which was equal to 30s. a week eaeh. Since then, however, owing to the competition outside, those tables have been reduced to 6s. each, and outside sweater~ offer to make them for 5s. Meat safes, 3 feet, two doors, made of kauri, 2s. 6d. ; average earnings of men 5s. a day.

"Does that include putting in the zinc?-Yes, everything. "Staining ?-No, not in this case. Then we come to common kitchen tables made of kauri,

including legs, rails, and tops, 3 feet x lft. 6in. over the top, 9d. ; and 3 feet x lft. 6in., ls. 2d. A 4-ft. x 2-ft. 6-in. table which was formerly 1 s. 6d. is now Is. 4d., that is the latest price; a 5-ft. x 3-ft. table which was formerly 3s. was reduced to 2s., and is now ls.lOd.; 5ft. 6in. x 3ft. 6in., formerly 4s. 6d., then reduced to 2s. 9d., and now 2s. 8d.; 6 feet x 3ft. 6in., the former price was 6s., then reduced to 4s. 6d., and is now 3s. 1 Od.; 6 feet x 4ft. 6in., former price 6s. 3d., and now 4s. 4d.; 6 feet x 4ft. 6in., former price 6s. 6d,, now 4s. lOd."

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Another witness, a practical cabinetmaker who had been in the tr~de for 40 years in Victoria and an employer of labour, gave this evidence'( vide Mmutes of Evidence, Q. 5048-9) :-

"You agree with the other whnesses as to the disastrous condition of your trade just now ?-I do. A chest of drawers with four drawers thnt I used to give l5s. for, the eabinetmakers are now making for 5s.; they cannot get much at that. Five-tlrawer cheRts, that I usetl to give 18s. and 20s. for, are now made for 7s. Seven-drawer chests that I gave 25s. and 30s. for making, 'in the white,' are now made for lOs. and 12s. Eight-drawer chests that I gn;ve £2 10s. aml £3 to my men for making, lined and grooved, I can now get made for 15s. and 20s. ·wardrobes that we reckoned eight days' work of nine hours a day for a man, at lOs. a day, £4, I can now got made for 27s. 6d.

''What do yon attribute this to ?-The cheap competition of the Chinese from the way in which they live, and the encouragement they have received from those large frtetories through the mis!Oepresenta­tion of the salesmen. Any persons who go to purchase a piece of fmniture and say they do not want Chinese goods will be told they arc not Chinese. I have heard that sort of lying going on and the goods sold falsely to the purchaser."

Amongst other witnesses examined was ·a wood turner, who stated his trade was also affected by the Chinese. There was no demand for his goods now as the Chinese bought largely from the saw-mills.

17. All the witnesses agreed that wages are lower now than they ever were before in the history of the furniture trade in Victoria. The highest present wage quoted by employers of labour as being paid was £2 15s. per week, and this only in very exceptional cases. One of the largest furnitm'e manufi1cturers in the city stated that he employed men who could not earn more than 20s. a week at the present prices, to whom formerly he used to pay £3 per week, aud this was corroborated by others. Another employer said first-class men whom he had known in the trade for the last ten or twelve years were willing to come to him tor 5s. a day. The cabinetmakers alleged that, while some workmen were paid as high as 9s. a day, others were forced to work for a· remuneration ranging from 15s. to 20s. a week.

18. The evidence adduced pointed conclusively to the fact that the practice of selling Chinese-rnade furniture as of European make was pretty general amongst dealers. Indeed one maker of repute asserted that all the furniture sold in Melbourne was disposed of as European, although nine-tenths of it was Chinese. This witness (who manufactured solely for the wholesale trade) had no doubt that the reduction in the price paid for making the cheap class of furniture was brought about by the Chinese. When business fell off he felt the effect of such competition in bedroom suites, sideboards, and similar work. The houses he was supplying would buy a suite from him and then get the Chinese to copy it for two-thirds the price he charged. In consequence of this he had to pay off his workmen. The only other alterna~ive was to pay lower wages and put in inferior material, which he was not disposed to do. Other manufacturers corroborated this. It was stated that dealers played off the Chinese against the cabinetmakers, and used the former as a lever to bring down prices. High-class houses, it was pointed out, purchased cheap goods for furnishing bedrooms. These were formerly made by Europeans hut now were the work of Chinese. The assertion was also made that middlemen preferred selling these goods because of the larger profit to be derived theret'rom, but this was contradicted by one of the largest dealers in Chinese furniture, who stated he could not get the European workmen to make the class of goods he required. The preponderance of the evidence went to show that there were ti:tir rates of pay before the Chinese entered into the trade, and that the present low wages were the result of that competition. European journeymen, it was contended, could find work if the former were not in the field; and it was further stated that the trade, now completely demoralized, would be a healthy one in the absence of the alien workers.

19. Representatives of warehouses in many instances combated the views just expressed, contending that the depressed condition of the trade was solely due to bad times. During the boom period there was a great demand for furniture, which the local manufacturers could not cope with. The importers sent home large orders for furniture, which when the crash came was left on their hands; and from this glut the market, it was said, had not yet recovered. It was over-importation and not Chinese competition that had brought about the present deplorable condition of aff'airs. Whereas fifteen years ago there were only six large retail furniture establishments in Melbourne and suburbs, now they existed far beyond the legitimate requirements of the population, and this resulted in excessive and often ruinous competition

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amongst retailers and wholesale houses. Many of the former failed, their stocks were sent to auction and slaughtered, and this helped to accentuate the depression. A witness knew of firms who used to buy from manufacturers, but now they purchased largely at auction and polished up. The competition amongst "''holesale warehouses, a well-known manufacturer asserted, was keen; very few of the former had factories of their own, and therefore got their work done outside at as low a rate as possible. This was substantiated by witnesses examined on behalf of two of the foremost warehouses in the city, who stated that thev made no furniture on the premises now but simply kept a 'few hands for upholstering and polishing. Another argument used against the Chinese competition theory was that in branches of the trade· in which the European :-;tood alone wages were at their lowest ebb. In chair­making and upholstering, which were not affected by alien labour, over-supply and competition had brought about a worse state of affairs than existed in the cabinet­making trade. Other instances were cited. For example, the manufacture of dining and drawing room suites was stated to be entirely in the hands of the Europeans. Notlnvithstanding this, prices were cut down lower than in any other description of furniture. Dining-room suites were being manufactured and sold for £3 10s., while drawing-room suites of seven pieces covered with tapestry and plush were quoted as low as £2 10s. The work was described as ''thrown together." One dealer main· tained he could get colonial sofas made at 20 per cent. less by Europeans than by Chinese, and also dining-tables. ·

20. The evidence given by the furniture warehousemen of Melbourne and suburbs has an important bearing on the question of Chinese competition. Represen­tatives of two of the largest houses in the city were examined at length. They. aclnwwledgcd they dealt in Chinese goods, hut simply as agents for country store­keepers ; hut they kept no stock on hand, and only purchased from the Chinese when orders came down for cheap articles. Chinese manufacturers sent rPpresentatives about the country, and did a large business with up-country shopkeepers, most of whom bought scat'cely anything else than their furniture. One witness stated that fully 50 or GO per cent. of the wholesale transactions of his firm were in this kind of furniture, and that the whole of this was on account of country orders. His firm's retail sales were nominal. The bulk of the ordinarv bedroom furniture manufactured was acknowledged to be Chinese, and it was asserted that the country storekeepers knew they were purchasing goods of that manufacture when they sent down their orders. Some of the suburban furniture warehousemen testified to doing business largely with Chinese, and maintained that in many instances they were paying higher prices for articles of their manufacture than for similar European-made goods. A great quantity of Chinese furniture sent to auction-rooms was described as rubbish, but on the other hand it was pointed out that some of the alien firms turned out very good articles. The European workmen were, it \Vas said, responsible .for the growth of this competition. In explanation of this it was stated that during the Exhibition period in 1889-90 there was a great demand for the cheaper class of furniture, which the Europeans would not manufacture; consequently the dealers had to fall back on the Chinese. European workers were then making from 12s. to 15s. a day working overtime, the ruling rate being 10s. 6d. a day. Out of £10,000 worth of the cheap class of furniture purchased by one firm during the period mentioned-comprising bedroom suites, side-boards, extension, kitchen, and round tahles-75 per cent. was purchased from Chinese. After the boom burst it was affirmed the Europeans commenced to compete with the former in cheap furniture. When there was work to do in this line European artisans neglected it, and now when they were anxious to get employment they found there was none for them.

21. 'Vitness after witness testified to the degrading influence the Chinese had on the trade generally. It was impossible for the European artisans to compete successfully against a class whose style of living, herded together, too often amidst insanitary and other objectionable surroundings, enabled them to accept wages that would mean starvation to the local worker. The representative of one of the leading furniture warehouses in the city, who acknowledged that his firm dealt in Chinese-made articles, was emphatic in condemning the Asiatic worker as a class. In his evidence he stated (,vide Minutes of Evidence, Q. 5189)-

" I think they nre nn undesirable elass to have; tl1ey are allowed to work twelve und fifteen hours a day ; and when an article is manufactured they say they must hv.v<> an outlet for it, and they put it into auction-there is nothing to prevent them.''

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22. The Chinese were stated, generally speaking, to occupy premises dirty and. over-crowded-places where Europeans would not live. In many cases they cooked, ate, and slept in the same room. Competition under such circumstances, it was contended, could only result in the extiaction of the European nrtisan. One of the Factory Inspectors was examined on this point, and he stated that the sanitary condition of Chinese factories was very much better now than five years ago, the buildings having improved as well as the general surroundings. Most of the bad premises had been condemned and vacated, hut the difficulty was in getting a number of the poorer places that were in ·occupation as factories before the Act came into operation condemned. The worst, however, had been dealt with, ~nd during the last two or three years about twenty premises had been condemned, and some of them pulled down. Notices to vacate condemned buildings, or to make alterations in unsuitable premises, should, the Inspector thought, be served on the landlords, as the Chinese often do not understand what is required of them. As an

·. illustration, he cited two cases in which the occupier!'! of condemned premises gave as their reason for not moving that, not understanding the notice sent them by the City Council, they consulted their landlord, who told them to pay no attention to it, as "it is all right, you stop." In the prosecution ·which ensued merely nominal fines were inflicted. Owners of dilapidated buildings, he pointed out, in some instances got factory rents for places not suitable for fi:wtory purposes, and not registered as such. The Chinese idea of sanitation he stated to he deplorable. Their closets and drains were in such an undesirable state, and their mode of living so utterly different to that of Europeans: that they seemed "really unable to understand what a filthy place meant." In some factories portion of the building was used for sleeping purposes.

23. In the course of the Board's inquiries into the conditions of the Chinese work-rooms reference was made to the disorderlv chttracter of some of the houses. Plain-clotl1es Constable vVardley, when called lrpon for a report on the su~ject, stated-

" In the lunes off Little Lonsdnle-street, where some of the Chinese workmen live nnd manufacture their articles, the houses are very dilapidated, -an£1 contain only two rooms, one of which is generally used as a bedroom, and the other as a kitchen and work-room. In some of the latter places 'European women of the town' reside with the Chinese, and the houses are occasionally visited l~y other 'unfortunates' for assignation purposes."

24. The future of the cabinetmaking industry is causing considerable anxiety. Accordine; to some witnesses, the trade, owing to Chinese monopolizing it, is looked upon with such disfavour that people are unwilling to apprentice their sons to it, and even cahinetmakers avoid bringing up their boys to a trade which has descended to them for generations. If this continues it is only a question of time when the industry will be dead, so far as our own people are concerned. r nless steps are taken by European manufacturers to teach apprentices we shall be forced to fall back upon imported furniture, or Chinese-made articles, and the race of local cabinetmakers will die out in this colony. The views of the master cabinetmakers · on this subject are worth quoting. One stated (vide Minutes of Evidence, Q. 5056 et seq.)-

" The Chinese furniture is mai!e in violation of all tlle rules that should govern the trade ?-Entirely. I would not pnt a lnd of mine to it ; by hard work he ean only earn 15s. a week now. I think the number of Chinese ought to be lessened ; we ought to do that which is right to our ehililren, Hnd we cannot do that if we allow the Chinese to come here awl steal one of our hest mechanical trades, and the money the Chinese earn all goes out of the colony.

•• The result of your experience is that ulthough you have a splendid trade, and great experience in making goods, you would not put your son to the business ?-Not with the prospects we have now.

"You do not finil any one asking you to take apprentices ?-They aHk me, and I say-' No, I would not take your son in if you gave me £50, poor as I am.' Ours is the worst trade of the lot here, and the best in the old countr·y; it is a pretty trade, ami one that a man gets very pleased with."

Another said (vide Minutes of Evidence, Q. 5918 )-"You have no application from parents wishing to apprentice their sons ?-No, the tra£le is in such

bad odour that one man said to me-' Take and put your son to a sweep, and he will be better off than at cabinetmaking '; mtd I believe it."

A third witness, a maker of art furniture, asserted that at the present time there ought to be at least 100 boys employed as apprentices, and that 250 or 300 European journeymen could find work in the trade if it we1·e not for the Chinese. He paid a high compliment to the Victorian youths, and said they made splendid workmen, and were very qu:ick and intelligent.

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25. As stated previously, Mr. C. P. Hodges, the Chinese Interpreter, was examined on behalf of the alien furniture makers, and it may be as well here to give a summary of the principal points of his evidence not previously touched upon. Mr. Hodges said there was a popular belief to the effect that the Chinese population of Victoria was about 12,000, but, as a matter of fact, Mr. Hayter's statistics showed that at the end of 1S92 the number was 7,997. He contended that, in computing this total, the leakage by land to New South Wales and deaths were not included, so that, ns a matter of fact, the total Chinese population was considerably less than S,OOO now. The maximum number of Chinese ever engaged in cabinetmaking in Melbourne he estimated at under 400. In 1880 there were only 66 engaged in the trade, so that the increase since then was not very great. Since the last Census, in 1S91, he knew of 165 Chinese engaged in making furniture who had gone out of the trade through factories closing. This, taken in conjunction with the closing of some small establishments, satisfied him that fully 200 had left the trade. The maximum now working he himself estimated at not more than 170, but according to some Chinese, upon whom he could rely, the actual number was only 150. The reduction in numbers had been brought about by the depression. At present there was not one of their factories that was paying, and there was a tendency on the part of owners to relinquish the business, but they were debarred from doing ~o on account of the large stock of furniture on their hands which they could not dispose of, as well as liabilities which at present they were unable to liquidate. The Chinese furniture trade was rapidly dying out, and would soon fall into the hands of a few. It was true that a good many factory-owners had compounded with their creditors. They took the benefit of the Insolvency Statute, but in China debts were handed down from father to son, and had eventually to be paid. The prices now paid to Chinese cabinetmakers were very low. At one time the charge for making an eight-drawer chest was from 31s. to 40s., and now it was from 18s. to 22s.; a seven-drawer chest formerly was 21s., now 14s. and 16s.; a five-drawer chest that was previously manufactured for 15s. to 18s. was now made for 10s., 12s., and 14s. Half-castes were taken on as apprentices, the wages paid at first being from Ss. to 10s. a week and found. Small boys were paid less, perhaps 6s. a week or 1s. a

, day. Many of the men who had left factories and were manufacturing for auction­rooms were earning just sufficient to enable them to purchase rice, fish, and spirits. It was these men, and not the factory hands, that were the main cause of the present trouble.

With reference to the evidence given as to the custom of Chinese sleeping on the premises of the factories in which they worked, Mr. Hodges thought that about 50 per cent. boarded in factories. They were also in the habit of renting a house between them and living together. The charge per m~n in good factories was Ss. per week for food and 2s. for lodging-the lodgers finding their own bedding.

With regard to regulating the hours of labour, he said that the Chinese trades union had fixed the hours of labour for wages men at ten per day. He thought the workmen would not object to a day of eight hours being enacted, as more hands would have to be employed. The difficulty in the way would be the habits of the men. If certain working hours were enforced, the Chinese would have to alter their customs. They could not get up at noon, as they do now, and work till late at night.

As to the sanitary condition of the Chinese habitations, this witness acknow­ledged that a few years ago the state of many of those in Little Bourke-street and the narrow lanes in the vicinity was very bad, but the occupants were not to blame, as they did not build the houses. A complete change, however, had been brought about by the City Council and the beneficial operation of the Factories Act. A large number of places had been condemned as unfit for occupation, 30 factories having been so dealt with during the previous year, the majority of which had been pulled down, whilst others had been altered so as to meet the requirements of the health authorities. The great difficulty was with the closets, for which special sanitary provisions were necessary. Factories were, as a rule, cleaned up on Saturday nights, just the same as European establishments.

On the question of stamping furniture, Mr. Hodges said there was a difference of opinion arnongst the Chinese. Ninety-eight out of every hundred would probably object to it, on the ground that it was proposed in order to prejudice them in their business. Stamping, however, he considered, would be beneficial to those making a better class of furniture as opposed to others who lived from hand to mouth and manufactured for auction-rooms. He did not think that a compulsory stamping law would cause the Chinese to open retail shops.

13

Interrogated as to what suggestions he could make to remedy the present condition of the trade, Mr. Hodges thought that possibly the adoption of the eight hours system would have a beneficial effect. He did not see what else could be done. The numbers engaged in cabinetmaking, he contended, would gradually be reduced in any case, as the Chinese were entering other industries and were leaving Melbourne for the country. Those in Melbourne, he maintained, would leave the colony if they could, as their occupation here was very limited, the walks of life they could take part in being very few. The heads of the Chinese quarter might give material assistance in seeing that an eight hours law was obeyed, provided it were put in force.

26. In suggesting remedies for bringing about a better state of affairs in the trade, many witnesses laid stress upon the necessity of subjecting all Chinese workers to similar sanitary laws as those under which European artisans are required to labour. They urged that if all Chinese were compelled to comply with the provisions of the Factories Act, and to work under the same sanitary regulations as Europeans, the latter could successfully compete with them. At present the local artisans, in working under the provisions of the Act, were put to expenses which many of the Chinese escaped by evading their responsibilities. This was an unfair handicap, which weighed very heavily on the local cabinetmakers, especially during a time of depres· sion such as now existed.

27. Allegations were made by members of the Cabinetmakers' Society as to the practice of the Chinese in working on Sundays. One witness stated that he had gone round on Sundays and had observed 50 places where they were at work. He had also seen them engaged in making forms for a church on Sundays. It was acknowledged, however, that Sunday work was not being carried on to such a great extent as formerly. Another complaint against the Chinese was that they worked very long hours, sometimes far into the night. As Europeans generally worked for eight hours a day, and factory hours were practically limited to 48 a week, it was pointed out that unless the working hours of Chinese were also curtailed the European artisans could not hope to compete against their alien rivals. The Board examined Mr. Hodges on these points, and he contended that there was a misapprehension with regard to the alleged long hours worked by Chinese. These, he stated, were as a rule employed at piece-work, as they liked to be their own masters and thus be enabled to control their hours of labour. They were very uncertain and irregular in their habits, and would often lay down their tools for two or· three hours at a time and indulge in recreation. To make up for this lost time they sometimes worked late, and this had led to the belief that they worked day and night. He thought they did not work in all more than nine hours a day; and, with regard to Sunday work, he denied there had been any for years. A report was received on this subject from Plain-clothes Constable Wardley, whose duti:>s c~11 h1m fre•!uently to visit the Chinese quarters. He stated that-

" Several of the Chinese have untll quite recently worked at their trade on Sundays, but as they have been cautioned by the police they have now almost discontinued the practice. They are very irre­gular iu their hours of work, and are sometimes at work after midnight, though some of them do not start work until noon. Some of them do work long hours, but this is generally done to make up for their idle time."

Representations were made that Sunday work should be strictly prohibited, and that the Chinese should only be allowed to work during recognised factory hours. In order to permit of this being done it was also urged that the Act should be altered, so as to bring any place in which one Chinese worked at his trade under its provisions. Recent prosecutions prove that there is still some foundation for the allegation that working on Sundays has not yet ceased.

28. Strong recommendations were made to the Board by both masters and journeymen cabinetmakers as to the necessity, in the interests of the European artisans, of making it compulsory that all furniture should be stamped with the name and address of the actual maker, as well as with the words "European " or " Chinese" manufacture. It was urged that the public sympathized with the.local workers, and would show this practically by refusing to buy Chinese-made articles if there were any method by which they could distinguish them, but at present purchasers were at the mercy of the dealers, many of whom, it was asserted, deliberately sold Chinese furniture as of European manufacture, and although experts allowed they could tell almost at a glance the difference, they admitted that the general public could

' 14

not be expected to do so. As the articles of Chinese Inanufacture were generally inferior to those of European workmanship, it was argued that compulsory marking would have a clear tendency to raise the quality of the work, and would at the same time protect the purchaser as well as the maker. Marking would be a distinct gain to the trade, and would make it worth following by the youth of the colony.

The views of many of the furniture warehousemen and dealers on this question differed materially from those expressed by the manufacturers and journeymen. Some, while not objecting to a distinguishing rnark being put upon furniture to differen­tiate between European and Chinese make, strongly opposed the proposal to stamp the name and address of the manufacturer for trade reasons. To make the latter class of stamping compulsory would, they contended, seriously interfere with their business. It would disclose the name of the person or persons with whom they were dealing, and would have a tendency to make the purchaser pass over the distributing houses and go direct to the maker. Others again were against stamping altogether, as uttt)rly useless in assisting the local artisan to compete against the alien worker. The large suburban dealers, who do a considerable retail trade in Chinese furniture, contended the public would have the cheapest goods irrespective of the maker's nationality. There was no such thing as patriotism amongst buyers. One witness, an extensive dealer in furniture, expressed his convictions tersely thus (vide Minutes of Evidence, Q. 5530)-

"If there i,; a difference ol' 5 per cent. they take the Chinese &rticle. I carry on a large business, and that has been my experience all through, both as a master and a salesman. The price is the ruling element. As to patriotism, there is nothing at all in it as to selling furniture ; it is 'pocketism.' ''

Some ol)jections were also raised that if compulsory marking became the law the Chinese might open retail establishments, which they do not do at present, and deal direct with customers. This view was, however, made very little of by the cabinetmakers generally, who stated that they could compete successfully against their Chinese rivals if the latter were compelled to work under factory laws and hours similar to those observed by European workmen.

The difficulty of stamping furniture was likewise referred to by those opposed to the suggestion. OnP. contention was that certain classes of furniture passed through the hands of several makers, and that to compel the different factories to stamp their names and addresses would result in disfiguring the articles, which become "a mass of advertisements." Again it was pointed out that some parts of furniture were made by Europeans nnd others by Chinese. All the latter did was the " carcass" work. They bought the greater portion of the carved work and all the turnery from Europeans and fitted them together.

On the other hand, evidence was brought forward hy cahinetmakers to show there was really no difficulty in enforcing a stamping law, as most of the celebrated makers in the old country stamped their furniture as a guarantee of genuine value and workmanship. The objections to stamping, it was urged, came from retailers and not from manufacturers, and it was also argued that the question was really one for the latter, not for the dealers, whose principle was to buy in the cheapest market and sell in the dearest. The dealers' objection to stamping was that the trade might thereby fall into the hands of the manufacturers, but the cabinetmakers thought the shopkeepers would still keep most of it. Even granting this argument to be a sound one, they contended if the trade were directed more into the manu­fi:teturers' hands that would tend to reduce the price of furniture to the public, as the middleman's profit would be saved. The use of a steel stamp was advocated, and well-ku.own makers testified that this would be no disfigurement to furniture. One witness, a cabinetmaker who had been 22 years in business in Melbourne, asserted he had made a suite of bedroom furniture of colonial blackwood which was sent to the Indian and Colonial Exhibition in J .. ondon, and took first prize there. He got £430 for the suite, which was made to the order of a well-known firm, who stamped their name on it, and got the credit of manufacturing the articles. Another cabinetmaker said he used to make patent extension tables, and brand them with his name as maker. He was, however, ordered by the firm he was dealing with to take his brand off. That warehouse wanted to sell the goods as of its own manufacture. He had made a telescope table which went to the Indian and Colonial Exhibition, and was sold there for £150 ; these instances proving the excellent quality of the Victorian workmanship.

15 ~8~!J J """"--,.,_, ...... ~

As an alternative, and with a view to removing the objections raised by warehousemen that stamping the name and address of the actual maker would result in disclosing trade relationships, a sugg·estion \Vas made that each manuf~1cturer should be registered, and that tliC number of such registered factory should be stamped on the goods, together with the statement as to their being of European or Chinese manufacture, or partly one or the other.

29. An alteration in the present system of letting contracts for the supply of furniture for the use of Government departments was urged in the interests of the actual manufacturers, who, it was contended, were at present debarred from tendering, as the contracts included certain articles of furniture not manufactured locallv and which had to be imported. This threw the contracts into the hands of the large "firms, which could afford to tender at a lo'v figure for articles of furniture manufactured locally, as any loss they might incur in this respect would be compensated for by the high profit they could rely upori realizing on the imported articles. It would be an assistance to the trade if steps were taken to divide the contracts as much as possible, so as to allow the local makers to tender when they so desired. Eviuence was put forward on their behalf to show they could tender against the large houses if contracts were let for one line of furniture at a time, but otherwise they could not hope to compete against the warehousemen. The evidence was rather contradictory as to the effect of subdividing Government contracts ; some witnesses asserting it would raise the cost of the goods supplied, while others were of an entirely contrary opinion. ·with regard to the proposal to prevent subletting, and thereby compel all Government con­tractors to manuf:'tcture on their own premises, a representative of one of the firms at present holding a Government contract said such a course would necessitate all t,hos~ tendering establishing factories of their own, and consequently the price of furmture would be raised to the Government. At preEjent the warehousemen employed outside firms to make furniture for Government contracts, but the upholstering was done on their own premises. The furniture was manufactured under the supervision of the contracting firms, and a Government officer inspected the work during its progress, and when finally completed he stamped it to show that it had passed as equal to the sample.

The evidence proved conclusively that the allegations made in certain quarters that Chinese were employed by contracting firms to make furniture for Government were unfounded. One manufacturer stated that an attem.pt had been made at one time to supply such furniture to Government, hut the inspectors, who were good practical men, had fi·ustrated it.

On behalf of the Cabinetmakers' Society it was urged that the conditions of every contract should specify a minimum rate of v.:ages to be paid by the contractor to. those employes who were engaged in working for him on that. contract. The evtdence adduced showed that this system was adopted by the Imperml Government in dealing with certain contracts, and that the est.:'lhlishment of a similar practice in Victoria would have a tendency to lift the furnitme and other trades out of the present undue competition.

RECOMMENDATIONS.

30. The evidence, the Board think, shows condusively that the furniture­making trade is in an ahnorn1ally depressed and truly miserable condition, and that the position in which the worket·s find themselves is one whieh calls for the cordial sympathy of all classes in the community. It is undoubtedly the case that the unsatisfactory condition of trade generally cannot be overlooked in considering the causes which have brought the European cabinetmakers and furniture makers to such dire straits, hut it must also be admitted that the Chinese competition has proved by far the greatest factor in bringing about the present state of affairs. Those opposed to any legislative interference with the course of trade allege that the present state of affairs will ultimately bring its own cure. They state that the number of Chinese engaged in cabinetmaking is yearly showing a large diminution, and that in the course of time matters will eventually right themselves. Legislative action, they argue, will not improve the condition of European artisans, hut will rather tend to intensify the evil by still further unsettling the trade. The Board cannot agree with these

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contentions, being of opinion that the present juncture affords a very favorahle opportunity for dealing with the question of Chin0se competition, so that the ultimate recovery of trade, which is anticipated, may result to the advantage of our own artisans, and en:thle them to recover the industry they have so nearly lost. Chinese should not be encouraged to further embark in this industry, and those at present engaged in the trade should be subject to rules and regulations \Vhich will prevent them unfairly competing with our own people, as they are undoubtedly doing at present, by evading laws which the European workers are bound to observe. In order, therefore, to bring all Chinese furniture makers under the provisions of the Factories Act, the Board are of opinion that the Act should he amended in the direction indicated, and therefore make the following recommendations:-

(1) That every place in which one or more Chinese is engaged preparing or manufacturing articles of furniture for sale b0 constituted a factory under the Factories Act.

(2)

(3)

(4)

(5)

That the working hours in Chinese factories shall he the same as those generally recognised as ruling in European factories, namely, 48 per week, the work being performed between the hours of 8 a.m. and 5 p.m., with a special arrangement allowing for the Saturday's half-holiday.

That the strictest supervision be exercised to prevent Sunday work in any factory.

That when a factory or any portion of a factory is used as a lodging-house it shall be brought under those sections of the Health Act regulating common lodging-houses, notwithstanding that the resifknce therein may be continuous.

That notices to vacate condemned premises or to make alterations in the sanitary condition of factories be served upon landlords as well as tenants, who shall be separately liable to penalties in default of com­pliance therewith.

' STAMPING.

31. With regard to the suggestions made that all furniture manufactured should be stamped, it was admitted by certain witnesses that there would be some difficulties in the way of carrying out a compulsory stamping law. By far the greater proportion of evidence pointed to the desirableness of purchasers being able to identify furniture when selecting it as of European or of Chinese make. Not only did most of the furniture makers contend that this distinction should he apparent, but they insisted that the stamp should disclose the address as well the name of the actual maker. The present factory law of Victoria sets out that "all furniture manufactured or sent out of any factory or work-room shall he legibly and permanently stamped." This clause, however, appears to be inoperative, as no provision has apparently been made to impose any penalty for omission to mark. The Board find that when the Factories, Work­rooms, and Shops Act of 1885 was before the Legislative Assembly a clause was inserted making it compulsory for all furniture manufactured by Chines~ to be stamped with the manufacturer's name and address, and the information that it was made bv Chinese. The penalty for non-compliance was fixed at not less than £5 nor more tha~ £50 for each offence. The Legislative Council objected to making a distinction between European and Chinese furniture, and amended the clause by striking out all reference specially to Chinese, and altering the penalty to not more than £10. The Assembly disagreed with this amendment, and returned the Bill with the clause as originally passed. While the Council were again considering the Bill a petition was presented, signed by Messrs. Rohertson and Moffat, Messrs. Cullis Hill and Co., and other large furniture manufacturers, praying that the Assembly's clause should be agreed with. The Council, however, insisted on retaining the clause as amended by them. On the matter being remitted to the Assembly, that body again declined to accept the Council's amendment; and in order to save the measure, which stood a chance of being shelved, the clause was ultimately passed in its present form, making no distinction between Chinese and European furniture, and not imposing any penalty for non-compliance. The clause thereby became a dead letter.

Evidence was brought before the Board to show that as a rule European­made furniture does bear a mark, which is placed voluntarily thereon by makers who

17

may have achieved a reputation for turning out goods of superior quality. It appears also that the compulsory marking of certain articles of manufacture obtains in some of the United States.

It will be a new departure to pass a law for the compulsory marking of furniture, but such may fairly be expected to have the effect of inducing only good workmanship to be placed on articles, as the maker's name would involve responsi­bility and would stand as a guarantee of the workmanship. Furniture, it must be admitted, is a commodity concerning the manufacture of which the general public cannot. be expected to have much knowledge, and, from its very nature, it is capable of being made so as to deceive the purchaser with regard to the quality of the workmanship. It appears to the Board, therefore, that stamping would protect the purchasers to a great degree, by preventing inferior articles being palmed oft' on them as the work of skilled artisans. As to the difficulties suggested in the way of marking minor articles that come under the generic term of furniture, it will be easy to provide for this b,r making an exempt list of goods of this description.

The Board consider that the evidence adduced has shown that the marking of furniture is practicable as well as desirable, and that the passing of an Act providing for the same might reasonably be expected to prove beneficial to the manufacturer as well as to the purchaser, and accordingly recommend that all makers of furniture be compelled under a penalty to stamp the articles turned out by them with their names and addresses, and also with the words" European" or "Chinese," prior to the same being offered for sale.

GoVERNMENT CoNTRACTS.

32. The Board note with pleasure the initiation of reforms in the method of calling for tenders in connexiou with Government contracts for the supply of clothing on the lines of the recommendations made in their first Progress Report. Therein it was pointed out that subletting should be prohibited, and \hat tenders should be divided wherever expedient, so as to allow the actual manufacturers of garments an opportunity of tendering for Government contracts if they so desired. Hitherto the practice in vogue by the Tender Board of advertising for several distinct lines of articles in one contract appears to have played entirely into the hands of "middlemen," who were enabled by subletting to virtually monopolize Government contracts, to the detriment of the real manufacturers. The Board are informed, on the best and most competent authority, that the change recommended and adopted has been generally recognised as most important and salutary in every aspect, and that its operation has already almost completely removed that undesirable feature of the "sweating" system brought about and encouraged by the subletting which had hitherto existed. If any further proof were wanted in justification of the Board's recommendations it will be found in the following extract from a letter forwarded by the Castlemaine W oolleu Company, which shows that the system hitherto adopted in accepting Government contracts involves the payment of unnecessary profit to the middleman:-

"We are debarred from tendering direct with the Government for the white otriped flannel, heavy Welsh flannel, white serges, and white blankets required simply because white and coloured goods are included in the same schedule, thereby making it almost compulsory that the contract must be put through a Melbourne middleman, as a manufacturer like this company cannot tender direct for tweeds, cloths, &c., when we only make white goods, viz., flannels and blankets; and the tweed mills experience the same difficulty through having to tender for white goods, which they do not make. Therefore it becomes neces­sary for the contract to go through a middleman, whose profit the Government has to pay. What we desire is that there should be two schedules-one for coloured goods and the other for white."

As an instance of the manner in which contracts have been mixed up to the detriment of local manufacturers, reference may be made to the pages of the Govern­ment Gazette of 30th May, 1893, giving a list of the various contracts accepted by Government. One of the contracts for furniture held by Messrs. Robertson and Moftat comprises a large number of articles, such as tables, washstands, chests of drawers, &c., that can easily be made in the colony, mixed up with American cane-seated chairs and such like articles-hat-rails, ladders, screens covered with blue cloth, cushions, &c., &c. It will be at once apparent that cabiuetmakers who manufacture tables, washstands, drawers, &c., would not be able to tender for this contract, simply because they would not be in a position to supply American chairs, which form part of the goods to be tendered for. If such articles are really required, they must of necessity

No.I2. B

18

be imported, and the Board consider that they should form the subject of one contract. Articles that may fairly he manufactured in the colony should form a separate contract, and they in turn should be divided into as many lines as possible, always keeping together in one group articles of the same description. The following evidence dealing with the subject is extracted from the testimony of the represent­ative of the firm just referred to (vide Minutes of Evidence, Q. 5203 et seq.) :-

"In this contract I see there are 41 different items of furniture; it seems as if it played straight into your hands-you cannot tender for any particular line in it. It comprises cushions, couches, chests of drawers, hat-raila; even jurors' boxes, washstands, pigeon-holes, stools, chairs, and so on-you take a contract for the whole lot ?-Yes.

"Do they give any indication of the number aud quantity of eaeh article that may probably be required ?-Iu every instance.

" They are not bound to order that quantity ?-They use the word approximate. " Would it not be a fairer division of this Government work if one contract were let for all the chests

of drawers; why should they be mixed up with hat-rails ?-It has always been the case. " Suppose you were taking a contract of this kind, would it not be a benefit to subdivide it ? -We

have taken that contract, and we do subdivide it. "Then why cannot the Government deal direct with those persons, instead of passing it through

your firm ?-It has been the custom for the last fifteen years since we contracted. "Then you really superintend manufacturing for the Government ?-We make a good many things

-the cushions and so on."

Considering that this matter is of great importance, and that it is desirable that similar reforms to those now being carried out in regard to clothing contracts should take place in connexion with future Government contracts for the supply of furniture, the Board recommend :-'

( 1) That, in future, specifications shall contain clauses prohibiting subletting, and requiring that the work shall be of European manufacture and sbitll be wholly done in the factory or premises of the successful tenderer, and that the hours of employment of those engaged therein shall not _exceed 48 per week.

(2) That, so far a:-; found expedient, contracts he let for separate lines of furniture, and that the practice at present adopted of mixing up in contracts articles which of necessity are imported with those which can be manufactured in the colony be at once discontinued.

The Board note that one of the clauses attached to the conditions of Government contracts states that preference will he given to articles of Victorian manufacture, but are far from satisfied that this has always been carried out in its integrity, and advise a strict compliance with this requirement.

All of which the Board have the honour to submit to Your Excellency.

GEO. AYTOUN, Secretary.

Parliament House, Melbourne, 19th June, 1894.

A. L. TUCKER, Chairman. JOSEPH BOSISTO. WILLIAM lEVERS. GEO. H. BENNETT. W. MALONEY. F. H. BROMLEY. JOSEPH W. KIRTON. A. 0. SACHSE.

By Authority: RoBT. S. BRAIN, Government Printer, Melbourne.