SHORTER HOURS.

Lyttelton Times, Volume LXXX, Issue 10104, 1 August 1893, Page 2

SHORTER HOURS.

TO THE EDITOR.

Sib,— One of your correspondents a few months ago advocated shorter hours of labour, and - about the same time the Knights of Labour made a request that the writer communicate with them on the subject. As the idea that shorter hours of labour would help materially in finding work for those of the unemployed who really require and ate desirous of work, I and many others who take interest in the question would bo glad to learn, through your columns, whether the Knights of Labour approve of reducing the hours of labour, say from eight to six hours per day, for the purpose indicated above. From experience gained m talking with intelligent workmen here, I find that they are quite opposed to what they consider the very foolish idea of reducing the hours of labour to six hours per day. They prefer to work an extra hour or two when called upon, to make up for occasional times when their employers have no work for them to do. I think it a very pertinent question. Why should those who have fortunately work to do at a fair wage, be expected to submit to a tax of 25 per cent on their earnings, in order to help those out of employment? They already, no doubt, do their share in mitigating the distress caused by want of employment, &c. The employed deserve building up, not a dragging down, which is a form of Socialism not to be tolerated in this new country.—l am, &c,, SCOTIXOE.