MANPOWER QUESTION

Grey River Argus, 23 May 1942, Page 3

MANPOWER QUESTION

48-HOUR WEEn

CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

ADVOCATED.

WELLINGTON, May 22. At a meeting of the Wellington Chamber of Commerce, it was contended that universal working ot tne extra hours would alleviate many current man-power problems, and would make for greater unity in the war effort. There was not entire agreement on a suggestion that any extra money so earned by the workers should be diverted to wui savings. Mr. R. H. Nimmo tabled a letter from the Director of National Service (Mr. J. S. Hunter), regarding the cabling up of women in the 2021 age group. Mr. Nimmo said this question., had caused a good deal of concern and heart-burning in the business community. We are all faced with the problem of depleted staffs, and the continued calling up of more and mor e men, said Mr. Nimmo. Mr. Hunter, in his letter, said that the administrative machinery which had been set up to give effect to the redistribution of female labour had been operated through district manpower officers located at all the mam centres. “While those officers are given a wide discretion in the selection of girls for direction into essential work there are certain definite principles which have been laid down for their guidance,” continued the letter. “For example, the direction of young girls into distant work away from their homes has been avoided vffigrever possible. Again, volunteers are invariably given precedence, and compulsion has been insisted on only where its exercise has been unavoidable “Nucleus staffs have been protected to some extent, even in non-es-sential firms, so that normal working can be quickly resumed after the war.

“While the public interest and the winning of the war are over-riding considerations which must oe properly studied, genuine hardship and sacrifice are avoided wherever possible. It is inevitable in a _ war situation that, much inconvenience and sacrifice must be borne by the community ass a whole, and it is the policy of the Government that this sacrifice should be spread as widely as possible,, so that no one particular section of the community will have been called upon to bear more than its 1 due ; share of the burden of the war effort.” Mr. M. G. C.- McCaul said that their difficulties would be largely; overcome if the hours of work were extended, and everyone worked for eight hours on Saturday. “If we had a 48-hour week manv of our troubles would be solved,” he said, “and if after the war we reverted to the 40-hour week the jobs would be waiting for the men when they came back. We have all this organisation set up to economise in man-power when the real trouble is that we are not) .working normal hours.”

Mr. W. S. Cecierholm pointed out that in essential and defence industries a 54-hour week was being worked. ,

Mr. Frank Wilson said that unless they made the extension universal they would get nowhere.

The Chairman (Mr. A. L. Wall' suggested that the extra monev earned by the workers through working longer hours should be put into war savings.

“We have come to the stage when it. should be incumbent on the employer to prove why he should not work the longer hours,” said Mr. Walt. “I agree that we should adopt the principle of the straightout 48-hour week.” Mr. Nimmo said that the position regarding office staffs was acute. Mr. W. H. Hindle suggested that the Government should see if it could eliminate some of its superfluous Departments and Government servants. “There are about 800 trade union secretaries,” he said, “and I would be in favour of giving them a real job to do for the first time in their lives.”

Mr. Frank Campbell said that the 40-hour week had gone overboard, but the five-day week had pot. He blamed the office people for much o; the trouble by working only the five days. Mr. McCaul: My office works six days a week Mr. Campbell said that with an office staff of 20 an extra eight hours would mean 160 additional hours a week. “Let three or four of them be dismissed and sent to the Peace ment Office,” he suggested. “It would soon place them in essential work. A six-dav wrmld ’

fop greater unity. Everyone should work the 48-hour week, and ie>. me., do what they liked with the extra money.”

Mr. N. S. Hunt said that the extra money should be diverted compulsoriily to war savings.

Mr. Campbell: They nav 12?< no” cent, wages tax now. How much more do you .want to divert? Mr. McCaul: That is compensated for by the increase in wages.