Mr Walsh Wants Ban On Mid-Week Sports

Press, Volume XCVII, Issue 28542, 22 March 1958, Page 14

Mr Walsh Wants Ban On Mid-Week Sports

(New Zealand Press Association.) WELLINGTON, March 21. The Federation of Labour has proposed that all mid-week racing and sporting events in New Zealand should be banned until further notice to aid in increasing production as a counter to New Zealand shortage of overseas funds.

The proposal was made by the federation’s president (Mr F. P. Walsh) about a month ago at a meeting of the Industrial Advisory Council. This advisory body, on which employers and employees are represented, can make recommendations to the Government on industrial matters. The proposal will be considered by the council at its next meeting.

Mr Walsh said today: “I tabled this proposal because the federation realises that if we are to maintain our standards of living in the face of New Zealand's balance of payments crisis and the curtailment of imports we must increase production. “I suggested w*e should stop all mid-week racing and confine it to week-ends and statutory holidays. I may be old-fashioned, but I think we would be better off as a nation doing a little more work rather than going to the during the week ”

The Industrial Advisory Council set up under the Industrial Relations Act. 1949. has the objective of promoting better industrial relations between employer and emnloyee. There are eight employers’ representatives and eight representatives from employee organisations "on the council Mr Walsh is one of the latter representatives, and the council has as its chairman a former Secretary of Labour (Mr H E Moston).' At the last meeting of the council. Mr Walsh moved a resolution In these terms: “In view of the difficulties facing our country, due to our adverse balance of payments

arising out of the steep fall in the prices w*e are receiving for our exports, and the necessity for increased production to compensate for our inability to import on the level our country has been used to, we recommend that the Government give urgent consideration to the question of the curtailment of race meetings and sporting events except at week-ends or on recognised holidays." A decision oq the proposal was deferred until the April meeting of the council.