40-HOUR WEEK

Grey River Argus, 2 December 1938, Page 4

40-HOUR WEEK

MANUFACTURER’S COM PLAI NT\ DUNEDIN, November 30 , "It is my considered opinion that nothing has hit secondary industries , in New Zealand which are competing ’ with overseas importations as hard as me 40-hour week,” said Mr Peter McSkimming (chairman of directors) at tne annual meeting of shareholders of ' the Bruce Woollen Manufacturing Company, Ltd., at Milton, this afternoon. ’rhe speaker emphasised the difficulties facing the woollen manufacturing industry in the Dominion, and said that although he was not an advocate of high tariffs, it was becoming increasingly, difficult, with higner wages and curtailed working hours, to compete with imported goods. “There is no doubt,” said Mr MeSkimming, “that mills in New Zealand have suffered a good deal from overseas competition, as both Europe and Australia have been exporting large quantities of woollen and worsted piece goods and knitted wear to New Zealand. During the year the Government increased the tariff on some lines, which will no doubt assist local mills to a certain extent. Personally, I am not an advocate for high tariffs; but with increased wages and the curtailment of hours of" labour it is becoming increasingly difficult to compete with imported goods.” Discussing secondary industries which were producing goods in competition with importations from overseas, Mr McSkimming said it was his considered opinion tnat nothing Had hit them as hard as the 40-hour week. It was not reasonable to suppose that New Zealand could increase wages and shorten hours and successfully I compete against-imported articles. The Prime Minister had consistently maintained that he could insulate New Zealand. If he could do it successfully he would earn the gratitude of all manufacturing companies. Insulation however, might be all right in theory; but he had his doubts about the practical side of it.

“Reasona’ole competition is the lite of trade, and if New Zealand manufacturers were competing amongst themselves only, the 40-hour week would not have the same drastic effects,” Mr McSkimming added, "but when our secondary industries have to face high wages, short hours, heavy taxation, and overseas competition there can eventually be only one ena> to the business, unless some remedy can be found.”