WORKING HOURS.

Press, Volume LXII, Issue 18671, 21 April 1926, Page 9

WORKING HOURS.

FEDERAL HIGH COURT'S DECISION. COMMENT BY PRIME MINISTER. |BT CABLB—7&ZBS ASaOCHTIOK —COPTTLIQET.) (AUSTRALIAN AND K.I. CABLX ASSOCIATION.) (Received April 20th, 8.10 p.m.) SYDNEY, April 20. Mr Stanley Bruce, Prime Minister of Australia, in a statement on the High Court judgment on the Forty-Four Hours' Act case, said that if Australia were to make economic progress' there should be standard working hours throughout the Commonwealth. He also indicated that a question dealing with a conference between the different States and tho Commonwealth to endeavour to decide on uniform working hours, would probably be discussed in the Federal Parliament during the coming session. He added that he considered clashes like the present one over working hours must inevitably have their repercussion when different States with Governments of different political parties decided to work different hours. The divergence reacted unfavourably against the whole economic fabric, and the basis of the spirit of the Federation. Mr Bruce concluded that the present question was one of the most vital, and would have to be considered. Australia could not drift as she had been drifting. Mr J. T. Lang, Fremier of New South Wales, refused to comment on the High Court's decision regarding the 44-houre' week, until he has received a statement on the legal position from the Attorney-General. MEN STOP WORK. (AUSTRALIAN AND N.Z. CABLE ASSOCIATION \ SYDNEY, April 20. The employees of the Clyde Engineering Works held a stop-work meeting to consider the decision of the High Court, and authorised their executive to take whatever action it deemed necessary. The men then downed tools for the remainder of the day. The men also decided to place their grievance before the Premier.