Minutes of Evidence p.1401-1509 - Parliament of Victoria

1453
49088. Have you any reason to assign for that beyond which Mr. Goulstone stated ?-I consider· that
i is a very important matter that the Custom-house should have the supervision of teas, and the right of
opening and examining samples as they come, anti as to seeming the q mdity.
49089. And yon are of opinion that the duty fncil(tates · tho!-'e operations ?-I consider that
retaining a duty tmd enabling the Customs to open the P"ckages and to examine for themselves is a guarantee
t.o the trade and to the public generally that we have some good results.
49090. Do I understand you to mean thM if the uuty were removed the Customs wonld not retain
the right to look after the quality ?-I suppose the Customs or the Adulteration Act could be put into
operation so as to attain the same ends.
49091. Whether the duty were removed or not?-·whether the clnty were removed or not.
49092. I am quite aware that under the present laws and regulations there would not be the same
control over free goods as there is over articles paying duty as tea does. Still tea being, as I nnderst~,nd,
from the gentlemen engaged in the trade, an article peculiarly liable to adulteration, it would be possible
to ru.ake a law to seeme ample supervision, would it not ?-I do not think so. I think the remarks of Mr.
Lorimer have been very important with regard to keeping teas in bond as much as possible, and
them direct from bond.
49093. Then it is your opinion that the retention of the duty f'aciHtates the care of the Government
over the qnality of the article ?-I clo, certainly,
49094. Does that apply to any other article that you import as well as tea ?-Not. so much in other
:1rticles, bec:1nse tea, having so many qualities, it can be reduced in value by artificial means of various kinds.
It i~ very important that an article like tea whose valne extends over perhaps 1s. or 2s. a J30nncl, should
be guaranteed to the public that they get their te:1 in the state in which it is imported.
4H095. From the revelations which have come out to the public jnst lately it does not appear that
the public have much guarantee in this matter of tea; would the same principle apply to coffee, for instance?
-No. ·
490~6. There is not the same facility to adulterate coffee ?-Co:ffees are sized. They are known
as No. 1, No. 2, and irregular beans known as "tryage" taken from it, so that iu coffee you can tell at
once from its appearance whether it is No. 1 or No. 2, on account of the size and quality.
49097. Have you anything further to add ?-No, not in reference to the matter of tea.
4D09R. B,IJ .1lb·. Bosisto.-The teas that the Chinamen go about selling, do you know whether there
is any oversight in reference to those teas; they are sent out, are thev not, in original packages, which they
seH from ?-A certain class of tea which they sell is Pouchong, or' faney tea, in packages as packed in
China.
It is sold here in the same state in which it is imported.
4!109~. As a tea merchant, have you ever examined them?-Yes, frequently.
49100. Are they considered to be such tea !ts is represented by th~ Chinamen ?-Yes, there is
nothing to harm in them.
Tl~e witness withd1·ew.
John Whlth1g•
continued,
3rd ~Iay 1883,
0ILniEN's STORES.
John Benjamin Whitty sworn lJ,nCl examinQcl.
4H101. By the Clwirman.-What are you ?-Manufacturers of oilmen's stores. John B. Wh!tty,
49102. Where is your factory situated '?-Fitzroy and Richmoml. 8rd May 1883.
49103, You have two establishments ?-Two establishments.
49104, How marry hands are you employing at the two places ?-From 100 to 120.
4910.5. Are there any particular lines that you mnke your specialities ?-Yes, starch and laundry
blue, and blacking are the leading lines.
49106. How many hands had you when you commenced ?-Wh13n we commenced I do not think we
]Jq,cl any.
49107. I do not quite understand thttt ?-We did not employ any at the first commencement.
49108. How long is that ago ?-Some thirteen years ago. :For the :first week or two, perhaps, we
hacl one hand on or two.
49109. By .Mr. Grimwade,--,-Did you work yourself ?-At the acf.ual commencement I suppose you
may say so,
49110. By the Chairman.-Do you employ any females ?-Yes, a large number .
. 49111. How many out of the 120 would be females ?-Perhaps 70, or between 70 and 80.
49112. At what age do you take those females on ?-Over twelve. The Act does not allow you to
tak€)
nnder twelve.
49113. Are they apprenticed ?-No, they are not apprenticed.
49114. Do you commence to pay them wages from the beginning ?-From the first clay they work.
49115. At what rate do they start ?-It all depends upon their age. A g1rl at twelve starts at 5s.
a week and gradually works up.
49116. Do they work piece-work ?-Some hands do aud some do not. When they can work piecewar~
we prefer it as most satisfactory both to employers and workm{)n.
49117. When they get np say to eighteen and nineteen years of age what is the average wage a
female c:1n earn t,hen ?-Perhaps £1 or 25s.
49118. As much as that ?---:-Yes.
49119. Have you any apprentices boys ?-No, no apprentices at all.
49120. Do you commence to pay the boys at:first?-Yes.
49121. At what rate ?-About 6s.
49122. And when they get to be twenty or twenty~olle
1
what can they earn ?-If they remain
pe1·haps they can earn up to £2~some £2 10s.
· 49123. Yon say, "If they remain>~-Do
rule, are eontinually shifting.
Do go to some other business
the occupation they are at and wish to do something else.
that respect.
generally leave
do not reJTiain very long as a
go to some other business, perhap·s get tired of
We nre under ~€,'Teat clifficnlties with boys m