FIVE-DAY WEEK

King Country Chronicle, Volume XXXI, Issue 4956, 16 February 1937, Page 5

FIVE-DAY WEEK

ADOPTED BY POWER BOARD. The Waitomo Power Board on a show of hands yesterday decided to give the five-day week three months’ trial, and from the first week in March the office will be closed on Saturday mornings. The outside staff already has the five-day week. With this decision the principal local bodies of this area, the Waitomo Power Board, the Wairere Power Board, the Waitomo County Council, and the Te Kuiti Borough Council, have all adopted a five-day week.

At the previous meeting of the Waitomo Power Board, on Mr. O’Connell’s suggestion, the secretary was instructed to report on the possibility of having only one member of the staff on duty on Saturday mornings in the office, and the remainder on a five-day week. The secretary’s report to yesterday’s meeting favoured either the whole of the staff being on duty on Saturday morning or the office closed. It was possible that when the award for local bodies was made the five-day week would be universal.

The chairman, Mr. Simms, said that in a country district he could not see the necessity for a five-day week. Mr. Cato commented that a fiveday week for shops was coming, not that he would favour it—the week was short enough already. It might be better, however, to anticipate matters. Mr. Gorton moved that the hours remain as at present. Mr. Lee said when the five-day week was first mooted, he was opposed to it, but to grant it might be better than to wait until their hands were .forced.

Mr. O’Connell moved an amendment that the five-day week be adopted on three months’ trial and weekday hours be adjusted accordingly. The amendment was carried by four votes to three.