UNION LABOUR

Evening Post, Volume CXXVI, Issue 4, 5 July 1938, Page 12

UNION LABOUR

AUSTRALIAN OUTPUT

GREATER THAN IN N.Z.

On his visit to Australia, from which he. returned today, Sir William. Hunt was impressed with what he described as the much greater output obtained fr<3m unionised labour in Australia than from similar labour in New Zealand.

"A large concern told me," said Sir William, "that they were now erecting a building to cost about £100,000 iii New Zealand and a much larger building to cost about £250,000 in Austfalial The New Zealand contractors required eighteen months to erect their building, while the much larger building in • Australia is to be erected in eight months. >,The output of New Zealand waterside workers is notorious. The cost afid time occupied in handling cargo inj;'New Zealand is more than.double that of similar work in Australia. The real cost in New Zealand is much more than double, because, in addition to the direct cost, there is the added indirect cost through loss of time by sfiips and the consequent extra wharfage accommodation required in New Zealand to allow for the slow turnround of ships. .

"A fairly extensive tour through the farming districts of New South Wales and Victoria, however, convinced me that on an average our New Zealand farmers are doing their work quite as well, and in many cases better, than Australian farmers."