Eight Hours’ Day

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XIV, Issue 234, 10 September 1924, Page 5

Eight Hours’ Day

UNIVERSAL APPLICATION NECESSARY. GERMANY’S PRESENT ADVANTAGE. Berne, Sept. 8. The British, French and Belgian Labour Ministers met here to-day to discuss the application of the Washington {Eight Hour Labour Convention. The special object of the convention is to secure/if possible simultaneous application of the convention. At present each country is waiting for the others, but some action is becoming necessary owingito the effect of the German Government ’s order of December last authorising an extension of the hours of work. Over 50 per cent of the workers in the industrial districts of Germany are working more than eight hours, while in Baxony and Rhenish Westphalia they are working over 54 hours per week. Germany’s neighbours are being affected and competition is {likely to be intensified when German industries are refurnished with capital under the Dawes scheme. The meeting will attempt to secure tne official adhesion of all Governments to an identical convention, which none will then be able to repudiate without notifying the others.—(“Times.”)