FORTY-HOUR WEEK

Manawatu Standard, Volume LVI, Issue 181, 2 July 1936, Page 7

FORTY-HOUR WEEK

FOR FOOTWEAR INDUSTRY

DECISION BY COURT,

Per Press Association

WELLINGTON, July 2.

“Upon careful consideration of the whole evidence, tendered, and of the submissions made on behalf of the respective parties, we are of the opinion that it has; not been established that it would be impracticable to carry on efficiently this industry, or the work of any of the factories in question on a 40-hour week.” This. was the effect of the judgment delivered by the Arbitration Court this morning in the case dealing with the footwearindustry, in which exemption was sought from the provisions of the Industrial Conciliation and Arbitration Amendment Act fixing the 40-hour week.

Mr Justice Page, in his judgment, reviewed the provisions of the Act and the submissions put forward by the employers, who sought an extension of hours on the grounds that the increased costs would be to file detriment of the industry as a whole and that there would be a shortage of skilled machine operatives.

The evidence showed that the former prejudice against New Zealandmade footwear had been largely overcome and that the New Zealand factories had captured against overseas competition the hulk of the New Zealand trade. All the factories regarding which evidence was given were at present working to maximum capacity and were finding difficulty in coping with the orders flowing in, the judgment said. PROBLEM OF FINANCE.

In ah industry of that type, where no lengthy technical process necessitating the attendance of individual workers for longer periods than 40 hours u week was involved, the question of the 40-hour week resolved itself substantially into a problem of finance. Whether it would be impracticable lor an industry of that type to carry on efficiently on the 40-hour week depended, the Court thought, on whether the industry would be able successfully and profitably to operate under the altered conditions. Though no balance-sheets or other information showing financial operations or trading returns of the various manufacturers were made available to the Court, tjie Court thought it clear from the evidence that the industry was in a very buoyant and favourable position. Business was, the Court had been told, better than it had been at any time during the last seven years. The Court had, therefore, made an order to take effect on September 1 amending the awards involved by fixing at 40 the hours (exclusive of overtime) to he worked in any week

, any workei hound by such awards, the rates of pay to be adjusted so that the ordinary rates of weekly wages of any worker would not be reduced by reason of the reduction made in the number of working hours. The question of Saturday work, which the Act sought to avoid, the judgment stated would be dealt with in a subsequent memorandum.

TIMBER MERCHANTS’ CASE,

I’er Press Association

WELLINGTON, July 1. An application for an extension of hours from 40 to 44 was made by the timber merchants and coopers in the Arbitration Court to-day. In support it was stated that, because of the close relationship existing in many factories between tlie milling, seasoning and dressing of timber, it was essential for tlie timber merchants to have hours as long as those worked by sawmills. In the past the timber merchants had almost invariably found it necessary to work longer hours than the building industry. It was submitted that a reduction in the ordinary hours to 40 would make it impracticable to carry on efficiently. The Court reserved its decisssion.