A DELEGATE AT ' GENEVA

Press, Volume LXXIII, Issue 22268, 6 December 1937, Page 3

A DELEGATE AT ' GENEVA

IMPRESSIONS OF LABOUR CONFERENCE MR E. J. DASH RETURNS TO ST* ANDREWS “New Zealand appears better off than other countries. The standard of living is definitely better,” said Mr E. J. Dash, president of the Amalgamated Society of Railway Servants, and New Zealand workers’ delegate to the International Labour Conference at Geneva, when addressing a meeting at St. Andrew’s after visiting several European countries. Great Britain and Canada. One of the principal topics of the conference was the 40-hour week in the textile industry, said Mr Dash. As New Zealand already had the 40-hour week in this and other industries, the opinion of its delegates ‘ was sought after, and played a prominent part in the findings of the, conference, which agreed to the recommendation that the 40-hour week for the textile industry be adopted. Mr Dash said there was a forward movement throughout the world for a shorter working week, in which New Zealand was leading the way. He was a member of the committee dealing with public works. Having the statement of the Minister for Public Works (the Hon. R. Semple) with him, he had been in a position to give the committee information which acted as a guide. The committee had decided and the conference had approved of a public works planning to meet any depression, and not one vote was cast against this, which, although not on the agenda paper, was put through as an emergency measure. The idea was that; in the event of future slumps, the policy would be put into operation and would absorb any persons thrown out of work. Thus the spending power of the people would not be reduced. He said he was very much impressed with the means of interpreting the various languages spoken. Interpreters were seated below the rostrum from where the delegates spoke, and immediately interpreted the remarks into microphones adapted specially for the purpose. Each interpreter spoke a different language, and earphones were provided at the desk of each delegate, who, by turning a knob, could hear the interpretation desired. A voting system by means of coloured lights avoided any possibility of error.