FIVE-DAY WEEK FOR SHOPS

Press, Volume LXXX, Issue 24258, 16 May 1944, Page 4

FIVE-DAY WEEK FOR SHOPS

PROPOSAL STRONGLY OPPOSED ATTITUDE OF FARMERS’ UNION (P.A.) WELLINGTON, May 15. A statement of the attitude of the New Zealand Farmers’ Union to the movement for a universal five-day shopping week was made by the. Dominion treasurer, Mr W. Horrobin, today. Mr Horrobin said that at its recent meeting the Dominion executive of the union passed a resolution strongly protesting against any move to sanction a five-day shopping week. It was contended that such an arrangement would impose undue hardship on farmers and other people in the community, and in view of the labour position it was thought most unwise further to restrict the working time of any section of the community. Mr Horrobin said that the Dominion executive also believed that such a move would have an exceedingly bad psychological effect on the farming community when they heard that yet another section of the community was to be given a five-day working week, while they were being urged to work harder and longer to produce more food for Britain. "I sincerely hope the Government will not permit this move to come to fruition,” said Mr Horrobin. “If it does so, it will be taking a step which is not in the best interests of the country at the present-time."