ASSURANCE GIVEN.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 56, Issue 127, 11 March 1936, Page 3

ASSURANCE GIVEN.

“PLEDGES. WILL BE HONOURED.” MINISTER AND WORKERS. (Special to the “ Guardian.”) DUNEDIN, March 10. “As for the Government honouring its election pledges, you can rest assured that we shall carry out every promise made, and furthermore if the workers will play their part as well as members of the Government will play theirs, then big things will be possible,” said the Minister for Labour (the Hon. H. T. Armstrong) in reply to the chairman of the building trade workers on the new post office contract, about a resolution forwarded to him recently. The Minister also said: “I have noted the terms of the resolution of the 40-hour week. I must confess that lam unable to understand the reference to the statements of ‘the Minister for Labour indicating unwillingness to introduce the 40hour week,’ for the reason that there lias been nothing contained in any public utterance of mine which would indicate unwillingness to bring this reform into operation. On the contrary, I have stated that an amendment of the Industrial Conciliation and Arbitration Act lias already been jircpared, making it mandatory for the Arbitration Court to apply a 40-hour week in all industries unless employers can prove that in certain, industries it could not reasonably be applied. “In conclusion, I repeat that no public statements of mine could possibly leave the impression with any reasonably minded person that there is unwillingness on my part, or on the part of the Government, to introduce the 40-hour week. The reform will come all right, and in this and other changes which we propose to bring about I trust that wo may depend on the loyal cooperation of the workers right throughout the country."