HOURS OF WORK

Manawatu Standard, Volume LIX, Issue 101, 29 March 1939, Page 10

HOURS OF WORK

EXTENSION IN INDUSTRY. MR HAMILTON'S DEMAND. Per Press Association. TAURANGA, March 28. “If ever there was a time in our history when labour conditions should L>e reviewed in their proper perspective, it is to-day,” said the Leader of the Opposition (Hon. A. Hamilton), in a statement made in Tauranga la6t night. “There is legislation under which the Court of Arbitration may relax the restriction of hours in an industry if circumstances warrant it,” remarked Air Hamilton. “The cause of humanity demands that those restrictions should be relaxed to-day. The Government has given a selfish precedent for the principle, but the people must demand that, this should be a lead to the Dominion. Obvious and urgent necessity demands a relaxation of the harassing restrictions. “Unfortunately, the Government will not give this lead, though to save its own skin it has been quick to relax a restriction to secure quick results from workers. Because tliere is no such lead there acute hardship among our people, a.nd the Government's negligence is past excuse. DEMAND BY HARDSHIPS. “Why not carry on from the precedent set by the Government when it recently relaxed the conditions in the building industry on such jobs as the Centennial Exhibition buildings and the new social security building? Why should the Government stand by and see the people it presumes to be championing living in conditions varying from the great inconvenience of overcrowding to the degrading squalor of hovels? These conditions exist, and must bo met. It must not be overlooked that large sections of our people have to work longer hours than 40 a. week because of the demand for the welfare of the community. Only 60 to 70 per cent, of union award workers have a 40-hour week, and farm workers have no restrictions of hours. “Anyone can realise how much it would mean in relieving the situation if the hours of work in the building industry were extended to 44 a week even. The hardships of to-day demand this. “Why have we not heard anything about it? In every country in the world where efforts have been made to provide more leisure for the working man it has always been conceded that, where leisure is carried to an excess which creates hardship, a little of that leisure must be given up ungrudgingly. That is a policy based on practical Christianity. Tf we are morally to rearm our people in the cause of good government as opposed to class government, then such principles underlying community wellbeing must be realised. “Why discount to-day the virtue of hard, honest work? It is needed today as of old. It is perhaps difficult to exjxict that virtue to be cherished bv men who have agitated all their lives to persuade the workers to do as little as possible for as much as possible. HOUSING LEGISLATION. “The whole of our housing legislation must he overhauled as well. \\ e have legislation to-day perpetuating slum areas. Thousands of people arc living in premises condemned as a menace to public health, and under the present methods their outlook is blacker than ever. 1 am not going to he sidetracked by either abuse or a parrot-like comparison with the depression in my determination to make the Government face the problem. “State housing may have much to commend it from the Socialist’s point of view in building a nation of rentpavers. “No doubt, too, it will bo music to the ears of the Government to hear some day the squeals of people approaching the evening of their life who have to pay the whole of the social security provision, and more, in rent.

“I am not afraid to face these facts and do not have to apologise to anyone for bringing them lo light. A National Government would have faced them. State housing to-day is on a basis which boils down to a scheme for those well able with their substantial earnings to provide for themselves. That important section of the community with earnings and circumstances which brings it into the class of had or indifferent rcntpnyers is lining left to rot under conditions which are a menace to health. The Government is suiting its own selfish ends and forcing private landlords to carry all who may he considered not just safe and satisfactory investments. Into the bargain, it is mnlUng the private landlord carry impossible restrictions under which housing problems can never he solved. “Let us unite in a crusade for community fair play, not class fair play, in housing; let us realise that in owning a home a person is making one of the best possible provisions for his or her social security,” added Mr Hamilton.