PRINTERS' HOURS.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVII, Issue 205, 29 August 1936, Page 10

PRINTERS' HOURS.

MEETING OF PROTEST. —y Dissatisfaction with the Arbitration Court's decision in respect to the employers' claim for' exemption from the 40-hour week was expressed at a meeting of the Auckland Printing and Related Trades Union this morning. The meeting, which was attended by approximately 500 members, said to be representative of all printing establishments in the city, and of all departments,, began at 8 o'clock in the Trades Hall, and finished at 0.20. Afterwards' members of the union marched from the hall, four abreast, down Wellesley Street and Queen Streets disbanding at Fort Street.

It was. decided to send a letter to the Prime Minister, the Rt. Hon. M. J. Savage, .drawing attention to the union's "utter dissatisfaction" with the Court's decision, and asking him to have an inquiry held as to liow the Court reached such decision.

In making this appeal, the union decided to draw the Prime Minister's attention "to the following inconsistencies which appear in the public Press in respect to the Court's finding:— (I) That the Court was divided, and, notwithstanding the fact that it was dealing with one of the most vital points in your party's election manifesto, their .decision was only a majority one; (2) that the evidence specially asked for by the Court was not forthcoming, and wc consider it a grave miscarriage of. justice for any tribunal, especially one presided over by a learned judge, to reach a decision under these circumstances."

Last night the morning newspaper workers in Auckland carried a resolution expressing the disgust of the night chapel at the decision of the Court, and also expressing belief that- that judgment was most unjust. The meeting also pledged itself to support the federation executive in any protest, with a view to creating a rehearing by another tribunal.