FORTY-HOUR WEEK

Evening Star, Issue 22414, 11 August 1936, Page 13

FORTY-HOUR WEEK

EXEMPTION APPLICATIONS GOLD MINERS’ CASE [Ter. United Press Association.] WELLINGTON, August 10. The Arbitration Court to-day heard applications by the workers to amend the Martha, Golden Dawn, and other gold miners’ industrial agreements to provide for a 40-hour working week. Decision was reserved. The application was opposed on be-! half of the employers by Mr R. G. Milligan, of Auckland, local director of the Martha Gold Mining Company Ltd., Mr H. W. Hopkins, of Waihi, superintendent of the same company, and Mr W. H. Wynyard. secretary of the Golden Dawn Gold Mining Company Ltd. Representing the workers were Mr J. Roberts and Mr J. Read, the latter of whom appeared for the South Auckland enginedrivers. Mr Milligan said that Martha mine employed move than 600 men. The average working week was 44 hours. A 40-hour week was not feasible for his company, because of practical obstacles aud economic difficulties. It was essential to put through the present tonnage, and there was, moreover, aprospet of au increase in the working, cost per ton. Mr Roberts said the workers asked for a 40-hour, five-day week for all, workers except those employed in wet,' hot, or gassy places in the mines, for whom a 30-hour week was asked. The. largest mine in Australia had worked a 35-hour week for a number of years and the New Zealand coal miners had enjoyed a 40-hour week for years past. Mining was one of the most unhealthy; of occupations. The best means of preventing miners’ complaints was by rest' periods out of the mine. Dealing with, tbe ability of the companies to bear the added cost of the 40-hour week, Mr Roberts said the Martha Gold Mining Company, in particular, was one of the most prosperous in the world.

HOTEL AND RESTAURANT WORKERS. The Federated Hotel and Restaurant Workers’ Industrial Association of Workers applied for a reduction of hours from 44 to 40 a week. The application was opposed by the employers, on whose behalf Mr W. J. Mountjoy pointed out that the employers had agreed to reduce hours to 44 from June 15 and pay the 1931 wages. The Government desired hotels of a high standard for the tourist trade, and if that were to he done the industry should not be unduly restricted. Decision was reserved.