A cook stands, holding a ladle, in the kitchen and dining room of a shearers’ quarters in 1909. All his cooking was done on the coal range. The photograph was probably taken by a Labour Department inspector. The Shearers’ Accommodation Act 1898 improved conditions for shearers by requiring that all accommodation and other sheds had to be inspected, and proper sleeping and eating areas provided. If the accommodation was inadequate, an inspector served the owner with a notice explaining what was required. Non-compliant owners were brought before a magistrate and fined.
Te whakamahi i tēnei tūemi
Te Ara - The Encyclopedia of New Zealand
Reference: Appendices to the Journals of the House of Representatives, 1909, H-11
This item has been provided for private study purposes (such as school projects, family and local history research) and any published reproduction (print or electronic) may infringe copyright law. It is the responsibility of the user of any material to obtain clearance from the copyright holder.