FACTORIES BILL.

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Issue 9294, 23 July 1901, Page 2

FACTORIES BILL.

[pee press association.]

Christchurch, Last night.

The Factories Bill was considered tonight by a committee of the Canterbury Employers' Association, and a number of resolutions were carried.

In clause 18, hours of work, it was poiated out that the Arbitration Court h*d determined that the condition of various industries, more particularly competitive, could not be successfully maintained with fewer than 48 hours.

Clause 19, overtime proposals, was considered impracticable, as it would not provide for the exigencies of trade. It was impossible to avoid overtime in certain trades in certain seasons, and the penalties provided by the Arbitration Court award were sufficient to discourage the practice. Clause 30, payment.to workers when producing . nothing, constitutes a serious tax upon competitive industries which are unable to bear payment for 6 holidays and 52 half-holidays a year, equivalent to 5 weeks and "55 hours per year, or over 11 per cent, surcharge on labor cost.

Section 2, clause 22, r6ad literally, meant that a man discharged from employment after five dajs' service was entitled to claim payment for the number of succeeding half-holidays and statutory holidays. * 35 was unnecessary, as penalties were already provided in tho existing Acta.