FORTY-HOUR WEEK

Dominion, Volume 29, Issue 255, 24 July 1936, Page 13

FORTY-HOUR WEEK

Higher Tram Fares Likely at Dunedin MAYOR’S STATEMENT Council Will Not Appeal to Court By Telegraph—Prese Association. Dunedin, July 23. ‘’While there is a possibility that tram fares may be increased, it can safely be said that there will be no increased charges to the public for gas and electricity,’’ the Mayor, Rpv. E. T. Cox, sajd when questioned regarding the effect of the 40-hour working week on the operations of the various departments of the city council The Mayor also made it clear that the council would not make application to the Arbitration Court for exemption from the Government legislation, although it would probably seek an Instruction concerning certain minor points, such as the payment of treble time on statutory holidays. While all departments will be affected by the 40-hour week and all will be faced in varying degree with carrying on their work at a higher annual charge, it is the tramways department that will suffer most by the increase. The additional yearly expenditure of this department will be in the vicinity of £17.290, and it will have to be met in some manner. The Mayor gave an assurance, however, that it was a pos sibility more than probability that the fares would be increased. Indeed, he said that up to the present time the city council had not seriously considered the question. In reply to a question, the Mayor stated that there would be no danger of the users of the trams being in the hands of inexperienced men when new drivers were put in charge of cars, because all the conductors were trained to become drivers eventually, and there was a sufficient reserve of them to enable the cars to be manned by men who would be thoroughly competent to carry out their work in a careful and efficient manner. f '

Asked whether the Increased costs would involve the taking of money from thb reserve account, the Mayor was definite in his answer that the reserves would not be touched.

The question of rates was mentioned to the Mayor, who replied that the 40hour week would not have any effect when the matter of fixing next year’s rates came up for consideration. The Mayor was asked whether the council as the trustees of the ratepayers would consider applying to the Arbitration Court for an extension of the 40-hour week in view of the public nature of its activities, but he was very emphatic on the point. “No," he said, “the council will no. apply for exemption. It will accept the Government’s legislation in the main, but there are certain minor points on which it may seek enlightenment One of these, the question of overtime pay ment of time and a half for Saturday afternoons and double time for Sundays, is, I think, quite fair, but it is debatable whether the council, which has to serve.the public all through the year irrespective of holidays, should have to pay its employees treble time on statutory holidays.”