SHORTER WEEK.

Auckland Star, Volume LXV, Issue 45, 22 February 1934, Page 5

SHORTER WEEK.

THE BUILDING TRADE. NO. 10 SCHEME IMPLICATION. COMMENT BY EMPLOYERS. (By Telegraph.—rrcsr. Association.) DUNEDIN, this day. At the conference of the New Zealand Builders' Federation the president, Mr. J. W. Graham, of Christchurch, said that during the past year through the No. 10 unemployment scheme a 44hour working week had been introduced on all subsidised building' work. While

in some cases this might have meant the employment of extra workers, it had definitely curtailed the earnings and spending power of a large number of workers. The experience they had gained, he said, would be most valuable in future, for they might expect that the same hours would be asked to govern in industry after the present emergency. In justice to all the workers affected this could only be accompanied by an increase in wages, which in turn would mean an increase in costs.

j "The cardinal principle which is so obvious in a great world-wide depression is that no nation can be prosperous with its labour unemployed," proceeded Mr. Graham. He added that New Zealanders did not want a dole. They wanted employment at a living wage and decent living conditions. Mr. W. Ellis, vice-president, said there were two phases of relief work which he had to admire. One was afforestation and the other was building under No. 10 scheme, but the fact remained that the builder had obtained little benefit from the scheme. From his observations four people who had benefited were the worker (for which they were glad), the merchant, the j land agent and the proprietor. The land agent had made it his business to make as large a profit as possible from the scheme. Mr. W. Winsor (Christchurch) warned j members to act cautiously in regard to No. 10 scheme. The Unemployment Board had gone to' a great deal of trouble to ensure the scheme working successfully and lie thought the board had done wonderful work for their industry.