40-HOUR WEEK

Hokitika Guardian, 22 July 1936, Page 4

40-HOUR WEEK

NEWSPAPERS SEEK EXEMPTION (Per Press Association—Copyright). WELLINGTON, July 21. 1 In reference to the position of the Arbitration Court in regard to applications for extensions of the 40-hour week, a statement was made to the Court to-uay by Mr Clarkson, secretary of the. Federated Master Printers, who submitted that there were no peremptory directions to reduce the wording hours in factories to 40. He said that the employers suggested mat tne project of the universal 40.hour week was 1 inspired by an abstract conception of social' reform, and that between the itleiiistic theory and its application the Court was interposed. .He submitted that the legislation was not a peremptory direction tithe Court to reduce the working hours in factories to 40 weekly. He contended that the discretion given tc the Court was not limited, but that it might be exercised whenever the conditions of employment in this direction were brought under review by the presentation of proposals for a new award. He submitted that a limitation to 44 hours,a week was the only peremptory direction to the Court. By other enactments, the Legislature had fixed the hours for shops at 44. He said that in respect to other occupations, it was considered that a 40-hour week would be an ideal arrangement, but there had been placed on the Court the responsibility of determining whether this ideal could oe applied in practice. He indicates that cases were being presented, not only in a confidence that the representations were based on incontr'"vertable facts, but also in a firm belief that the Legislature did not contemplate an undermining of industries ot such magnitude and importance, but that it intended that the Court should examine the facts presented to it with a view of determining whether it necessary to relieve these industries from any restrictions that might prevent them carrying on operations proitably. 1 - Evidence regarding the position o' newspaper companies and the requirements of newspaper publishing was called, and the hearing is proceeuing. On behalf of 95 occupiers of fact tories engaged in commercial printing, and eight engaged solely in the production of ‘ manufactured stationery, Mr E‘ .W. Clarkson produced evidence, to show the embarrassed state of the industrj 7 , and that a 40hour week would be quite impracticable. »