Second Shetland Truck System ReportGuthrie, William
History
Second Shetland Truck System Report
Guthrie, William
Labor law -- Truck system -- History -- England; Shetland (Scotland) -- History
419. How much money did you ask for to-day?-I asked for 2s.,
and I got it.
420. Did you not want more?-I did not ask more and I don't think
I would have got more if I had asked it. That was the reason why I
did not ask it; because Mr. Linklater does not make it his practice
give money.
421. Then when you go in any day to the merchant, you just say,
'Here is your shawl,' and you ask how much you are to get for
it?-Yes.
422. What is his answer?-He just mentions whatever he likes to
give.
423. But he gives you a fair value for the work, does he?-Yes;
sometimes.
424. Do you think he puts too low a value on your work?-Yes; I
often think that.
425. Do you think there is anything very unreasonable in the value
he puts upon it?-Yes; sometimes I do.
426. How long does it take you to make a 10s. shawl-I would
make one of them in a month if I was not doing much else.
427. Would it take you so long as a month?-Yes.
428. When you take in the shawl, you say the merchant puts his
value upon it: do you ask him for a little more than he says, or are
you satisfied with the value he puts on it?-If it is reasonable-like,
I say nothing about it.
429. He does not hand you the money?-No.
430. What takes place then?-He asks me what I want in goods. If
I ask for money, he says no.
431. Does he give any reason for refusing you money?-He says
he never gives it, and he won't give it to me.
432. Is that the only reason that has ever been assigned to you for
not giving you money?-Yes. There was one of them in the shop
that said that to-day, and Mr. Linklater himself came in and gave
me 2s.
433. Then you were refused money to-day by the shopman?-Yes.
434. He wanted you to take the whole amount in goods?-Yes.
435. He did so, because that was the practice?-Yes; and Mr.
Linklater himself gave the 2s., and he also offered me a pass-book.
436. Who was the shopman who did that?-I think Robert
Anderson is his name.
437. Did you say anything to Mr. Linklater when he came in?-I
just asked him for the money.
438. You applied to him for the money when the shopman had
refused it?-Yes.
439. And Mr. Linklater gave it to you without any hesitation?-
Yes.
440. The 2s. was all that you asked?-Yes. I thought I would not
get any money, because I had been denied it before.
441. Did you take the pass-book that was offered to you?-No; I
did not think of taking it to-day.
442. Were you thinking of not dealing with Mr. Linklater any
more?-No; I have got another shawl from him to make.
443. Did you get the worsted for it to-day?-Yes.
444. Does Mr. Linklater take a note of the quantity of worsted he
gives out to you?-Yes; he weighs it.
445. He knows how much it will take to make a shawl, and he
weighs the shawl when it is brought back?-Yes.
446. Have you ever bought worsted for your own knitting?-No; I
could not get it bought, because I was not in the way of earning
money.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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