MOTOR BODIES

Evening Post, Volume CX, Issue 41, 16 August 1930, Page 7

MOTOR BODIES

.WOMEN MACHINISTS

MR. JUSTICE FRAZER'S

COMMENTS

An important question was raised in the Arbitration Court yesterday—the counter-proposal of the employers to p?ovide for the employment of female machinists in the trimming shops of motor .body-building establishments. The rates of pay proposed wcro from los to £2 5s a week.

Mr. B.- Martin (Auckland), who appeared for the Workers' Union, raised the question of jurisdiction, and contended that such a'uew proposal couia only be considered by the Court by means.of a cross-cita'ion.

His Honour Mr. Justice Frazer upheld this objection, and made some important comments in regard to the employment of women workers as coach or. motor machinists.

>'I:'really.dp think," said his Honour,-, "in ail sincerity, it is unwise to- insist too strongly on keeping, women ©lit'of'work •■which is really women's w.ork.- "We1 have female upholsterers in. furniture shops. The main thing that'worries me about this question is this. -The coach and motor-car industry has been recently much discussed in'the newspapers, and urgent claims are being made for protection. One must, therefore, come to the conclusion that the motor-ear industry is not perhaps in as good as it might be, for it is an industry which has to face external competition. We know that all kinds of labour-saving machinery, ar.d all kinds of economies ar being practised in the countries which specialise in making motor-bodies.

"If New Zealand is to hold its own, St must fall into line, or go under. t Wo .must remember, too, that if we insist on giving advantage to our foreign competitors, they, will avail themselves of it. And-, more important still, ■we must remember this: if we eafri build •up trade of our own, and employ our own people, we may be jable to keep up production and reduce jfche'.eost of the finished article to our consumers in this country. That means there will be more employment for our own people. If by employing women the cost of the finished article is reflue'edj' if means that mpre people will Joe !able to'buy the article; and bvionsly it, must follow that more work will be available for men in the men's portion of, tho establishment. That is only, common'sense. I will leave it at; that. I' feel that it is necessary and desirable that I should tell you Trhat I think about that aspect of the matter." .