FIVE-DAY WEEK.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVII, Issue 292, 10 December 1936, Page 3

FIVE-DAY WEEK.

SHOPS AND OFFICES. SOME AGREEMENTS MADE. NATIONAL MOVEMENT PREDICTED. Although there has been 110 national movement for the introduction of a universal five-day week for shops and offices, the Minister of Labour, the Hon. H. T. Armstrong, said this morning that ho would not be surprised if such a proposal were made in the near future. He thought the application would come from employers as well as workers. The Minister said that already there had been joint applications from certain sections of trade; and no doubt a fiveday week would be a subject for future legislation. •'The best way is to get the interested parties to agree," lie continued. Legislation to compel people to bring about the five-day week should be the last resort." The Minister said that one of the diffi- • culties of the shorter week was the eoni fliet of interests between the large shop proprietors and the small men, especii ally those in the suburbs. What might 1 suit the employer with a large staff might be distasteful to the small shopkeeper who worked entirely by himself or with his family. Mr. Armstrong said there was a possi- ! bilitv of an amendment in the Shops and Offices Act next session, and while , not indicating in what direction the ■ legislation would be he said it depended extent on how matters developed [ with interested parties.