The Washington times., 1901-09-15
AUSTRALIAN WAGES.

Although New South Wales does not
| claim special mention n manufacturing
| country, it has no less than 2,9l2 manu-
! factories and works, employing 55,6i6
| hands. the latter showing a steady an
| nual increase. In the trades connected
with the manufacture of clothing and
| goods made from textile fabrics there are
| i31 factories and workshops, employing
! 10,9S4 hands. of whom 6,4o9 are females.
| the latter figures including Sc female chill
| dren. child labor, as a rule. being spar
| ingly employed in the parent State. In
the manufacture of slop clothing the
| weekly wages paid male workers are as
follows: Cutters, 30s to zoos; knife cut
| ters, 27s Cd to 70s; machinists. a5s to COS;
| filters, 45s to 120s; pressers, 20s to US Cd;
| trimmers, 2os to COS; vest hands. i0s to 45s;
coat hands, 2Os to SOS. and coat machin-
| lists. 25s to Cos. Female workers obtain:
| Coat hands, los to los; coat machinists
| los to 25s; buttonhole finishers. IS to 2Os:
finishers, rs to 27S 3D. juvenile clothing
| hands. 15s to 40s: machinists, 2tss to 33s Sd;
seam pressers, SIS cd to las; trouser hands.
SIS to 30s; trouser finishers. Is Cd to 2Os;
vest hands. los to 30s; vest maehinists,
| LIS to 22s Cd. In the bespoke trades the
| rates are higher.
In the dressmaking and millinery
trades where the majority of hands are
females. blouse makers obtain from los
to z5s; dressmakers, from los. to S0s. !;
machinists, from los. to 23s. Cd; sleeve
hands. from is. Cd. to 25s.: skirt hands.
90. to 35s.; childrens dressmakers, los. to
22s. Cd; mantle makers, los. to 3ls.: mil
linery hands, los. to 3os. In the hat and
cap trades most of the workers are fe-
males, the rate of wages being: Cap
makers, los. to 16s.; felt hat needle hands.
~ fntf hat ri org 1pC fn lis
straw hat trimmers. los to 22s. Cd. Male
felt cap body makers obtain Co.'S; helmet
body makers, Us. Sd. to Co.'S. and straw
hat blockers. les. to sos In shirt making
the rates are: Machinists, 9s. to 22s. Cd:
finishers, 9s. to 15s., and button hole
makers, los. to los In the white work
0adies' and children's clothing) trades,
cutters obtain ass; machinists, IS. to 22s.
3D.; presSers, POS. to 4Gs.; trimmers, lis;
fuckers. Is. to S., and corset makers,
Us. to Us. In the furrier industry cut
furriers. 40s. to 50s.; tanners. 3os. to AIS.
Cd. and female machirists. Sos. In the
oilskin and waterproof clothing manufac-
ture the rates are: Coat hands. 75s.;
cutters. 2Os. to sos; waterproof hands.
les. to 35s.: females, 9s to 35s.
In the furniture trades the rates are:
Cabinet makers. 35s to 56s; chair makers,
33s to AS; frame makers, Is Cd to 2os;
Jotners, Jos to Sis; polisherS, 3os to 55s;
wood turner's and carvers, 35s to 53s Pic
ture frame makers obtain from 15s to sos;
blind makers, Us Sd to i2s 3D. blind .,aint-
ers. 3Os to 45s; carpet layers, 30s to 3.s Cd;
drapery machinists (female), los to 3Ds;
bedding hands, 30s to SIS; mattress max
ers. 2Os to 30s: upholsterers (male). 25s to
55s: upho!sterers Gemale). 15s to 1Ss; var
nishers. 2s to As; wire mattress machin-
lists, S6s to Cos; wire weavers 30s to as;
paper bag makers (female). los to lis:
card box makers. lis Cd to 39S: bookbind-
ers, 30s to los. The eight hours system
prevails In nearly all the trades mention
ed, and there are numerous holidays.
Most of the workers are expert In their
respective trades. and have little TO tearn
from new arrivals, who. to secure en-
ployment. must prove themselves thor
oushly competent. Many of the factor
les are commodious, well-.ighted and
thoroughly ventil;SNd. AS rule, the re-
lations subsisting between employers and
employed are of a most friendly charac-
ter. especially in the older establishments
Child labor is discouraged, and the num-
Der of apprentices regulated by the num-
Der of hands employed. The great body
OF workers are British or Australian born,
the alien element being exceedingly linn
tied. and confined to the Chinese furni-
ture factories and Syrian sauce and jam
making establishments, of which latter
there are two or three In Sydney.