40-HOUR WEEK

Evening Post, Volume CXXI, Issue 142, 17 June 1936, Page 10

40-HOUR WEEK

ME. MITCHELL'S VIEWS

NOT FULLY REPRESENTATIVE

Commenting today upon the views reported to have been expressed by Mr. A. C. Mitchell, president of the New Zealand Employers' Federation, at the International Labour Conference at Geneva, as to the possible effect of the introduction of the 40-hour week in New Zealand, Mr. A. W. Nisbet, secretary of the W ellington Manufacturers' Association, said that it was regrettable that Mr. Mitchell had made so sweeping a statement as from all employers of the Dominion. In fact, said Mr. Nisbet, New Zealand employers were not at all of one mind that disaster such as Mr. Mitchell so gloomily foresaw would descend upon the Dominion. Mr. Mitchell, continued Mr. Nisbet, had left New Zealand at a stage of the discussion when the proposals of the Government had been far from fully discussed and understood by employers and the public generally, and though a section of employers did hold the views expressed by him at Geneva, Mr. Mitchell would have recognised, had he been able to follow recent discussions, that New Zealand manufacturers had clearly stated, both to members of the Government and publicly, th,at they were not opposed to shorter hours and higher wages, provided they were given a sufficient measure of protection to allow them to operate and to employ at least as rnany men as were at present engaged in industry. Most remarkable of the points made by Mr. Mitchell, continued Mr. Nisbet, | was his reference to a mandatory 40I hour week in New Zealand, for the i legislation provided in unmistakable wording for the exemption of industries. including rural industries, where a sound case was made to the Court against the application of the general conditions of the legislation. Regarded from another and important angle, Mr. Mitchell's condemnation of the proposal before the conference for the introduction of a universal 40hour week was at least unexpected, for he was aware that New Zealand was, by the proposals of the Government, generally committed to the principle of a shorter working week, and yet strove to persuade delegates from other ] countries against the adoption of the ; 40'/Mir week by international agreei rnent: far from assisting New Zealand ! relatively to other countries. Mr. Miti chell endeavoured to persuade the coni ference of the unwisdom of the uni- ! versal reduction of hours of employ--1 rnent.

LONDON STORE'S CHANCE (Received June 17, 2 p.m.) LONDON, June 16. A London store yesterday altered the orking hours to 40 per week.