THE DAILY TASK

Greymouth Evening Star, 15 February 1930, Page 10

THE DAILY TASK

and working hours Short-time and overtime are one oi the results of the irregularity that Characterises economic activity. This activity does not run smoother, but is constantly in a state of flux. Business is constantly passing tmoughvaiious stages: First, recovery, followed by expanded business; then boom conditions, followed by depression. Each of these stages takes some time to complete, and witnesses -either short-time or overtime according to whether industry is slack or busy. Apart from this aspect of the question, short-time and overtime arc characteristic of certain seasons of tho year. Particularly is this so in New Zealand, where the summer months mark a period of intense activity in most industries which changes to stagnation or a period of quiet in the winter. Statistics on this point are published for the first time in the new issue of the “New Zealand Official Year Book,” and makes instructive reading.

During the year ended March 31. 1928, no less than 2,121,070 hours overtime were worked in all industries from which returns were received. The efforts of male workers accounted for 1,933,641 hours, against 187,429 hours for females. These figures represent a substantial increase on those of the previous twelve months. Except, for recessions in 1923-24 and 1926-27 there appears to be a general 'upward trend in the aggregate overtime recorded, more particularly as regards women and girls. In the case of men and boys, there has been little movement in the average number of hours per employee affected per week, indicating that the increase m tho aggregate is due to its spreading over a relatively wider field. Accoiding to the corresponding figures for females, the average female worker worked more overtime relatively during 1927-28 than for any of the five preceding years, while there also appears here, as in the case of men and boys, to be evidence of overtime covering a wider field. The average number of hours overtime during the year under review for all employees, whether working overtime or not, is 33.8 for males and 14.2 for females. If all establishments worked overtime, each would be occupied for 6.55 weeks in excess of ordinary time.

DISTRIBUTION OF OVERTIME As between industries, it is interesting to note that, electric tramways and th e meat freezing and preserving industry between them account for -13 pei’ cent, of the total overtime worked by males in 1927-28, the former accounting for 460,772 hours, and the latter for 375,019 hours. Printing and publishing comes third with 131,351 hours. General engineering contributed just over 100,000 hours, and chemical fertiliser making just under 100,000 hours. Other totals are :Lime and cement, 71,261 hours; motor and cycle engineering, 88,332 hours; electric current, 53,478 hours; brewing and malting, 52,303 hours; sausage-casing. 50,977 hours; ship and boat building, 41,128 hours; gas manufacture, 32,315 hours; and so on down the list to the lowest return, 33 hours for grain crushing. Although, broadly speaking,_ overtime may be regarded as an indication that tho industries for which it. has been recorded are undermanned, it should not be overlooked that it is not always to be taken as an indication that there is a demand for more labour in these industries, in rush periods suitable labour is not always readily offering for tho short period necessary, and overtime is generally spread over a number of establishments and over various grades of employees in insufficient amounts to warrant the engagement of additional labour. In formation regarding time lost in factories is also interesting. For statistical purposes short-time is deemed to be time lost through machinery, tools, etc., being out of order, lack of materials, adverse market conditions, cessation of work due to weather conditions and other cogate causes. Time lost through holidays or sickness is not counted as short time. Broadly speaking, the short-time figures represent the short-period slackening off in the demand for labour, and are an aspect of the unemployment problem. Short-time is a phenomenon that is comparatively frequentljr met with in the Dominion’s industrial life, but differs considerably in incidence from unemployment.. For instance, as already indicated, it may be due to non-economic causes, such as tho weather, and is found largely in certain industries where employees work exposed to weather conditions. Again, it may be due to breakdown in the machinery employed in the factory. Where, however, the cause lies in industrial depression, short-time and unemployment are for practical purposes synonymous.

Although 1,624,591 hours short-time were recorded during the year 192728. In other words, it would takb 718 men working 44 hours a week just under a year to make up the deficiency in time. Male employees suffered in the aggregate 1,469.649 hours, as against 154,942 hours for females. These figures represent an increase of 502,727 hours for males, and a decrease of 8799 for females as compared with the preceding year’s figures. As in the case of overtime short-time does not affect al.' employees, and out of the total employees (57,153 males and 13,224 females), only 5827 males and 976 females were directly affected during the year. Although comparatively few employees were directly affected by short-time, it would appear that those affected suffered considerably, the average number of hours per employees affected per week being 11.65 hours in the case of males and considerably more (16.72) in the case of females. Averages taken over the total establishments and employees and the total hours short-time disclose the fact, that if the short-time were evenly distributed each male worker would have lost. 25.71 hours, each female worker 11.72 hours, and each establishment 2.50 weeks in a year. The sawmilling- and meat freezing and preserving industries account respectively for 49 and 18 per cent, of the total hours of short-time suffered by male employees in 1927-28. the figures for the two being 722,224 hours and 261,958 hours respectively. Tho overtime in the latter industry. 375,019 hours, is a compensating factor’not enjoyed by the sawmilling industry. Flax-milling had 68,355 hours’ sliorttime. and boot and shoe factories 64.010 hours. Furniture and cabinet making came next wth 36,892 hours, followed by agricultural machinery's 33,278 hours. Other live-ligiin? tola's wore proivded by sausage-casing, elec- ' trie tramway, coach building, iron and

brass foundries, leadlight manufacturing, range making, and woolscouring and fclimongering industries.