FEWER HOURS, SAME PAY.

Press, Volume LXVI, Issue 19852, 13 February 1930, Page 14

FEWER HOURS, SAME PAY.

CITY COUNCILLOR'S PROPOSALS FOR UNEMPLOYMENT PROBLEM.

• —— Proposals that, if carried out, would have a far-reaching effect are contained in a motion, notice of intention to move which, at Monday night's meeting of the City Council, has been givsn by Cr. A. E. Armstrong. Tho text of the motion is as follows: — "(a) In view of the Bteady increase of unemployed men and women in the Dominion, despite the enormous sums of money squandered by the Government and local bodies, we, the Christchurch City Council, are satisfied that the reduction in working hours per week to create more permanent employment is the only sane solution to the problem that the country is becoming more embarrassed with every year, (b) The Council appeals to employers, large and small, to shoulder their share of responsibility and show their patriotism to their country in its hours of distress among the working classes, by assisting to make more permanent employment, by adopting the five-day week of forty-hours, paying their employees as per forty-four hours, so as not to reduce the spending power of the people, and so create a further slump in business generally. (c) That all employees working under the jurisdiction of the Christchurch City Council work a five-day week of forty hours, and receive the same rate of wages per week as for forty-four hours." Owing to the character of the proposals contained in the motion, it has been the subject of discussion amongst some members of the City Council, and efforts, so far unsuccessful, have been made to prevail on Cr. Armstrong to withdraw it. Cr. A. E. Armstrong is a son of Mr H. T. Armstrong, M.P., and was elected to the City Council as an Independent Labour member. Ho stated yesterday that he had no intention of withdrawing his notice of motion.