40-HOUR WEEK

Northern Advocate, 13 August 1935, Page 4

40-HOUR WEEK

SUBSIDISED EMPLOYEES AUCKLAND TRANSPORT BOARD PLAN ADOPTED [Special to "Northern Advocate.”! AUCKLAND, This Day. ■ The Auckland Transport Board yesterday adopted a work plan to provide its subsidised employees with 40 hours’ work per week. The chairman, Mr. H. G, R. Mason. M.P., reporting on behalf of the committee of the whole , board, said that, subject to making satisfactory financial arrangements, with the Unemployment Board, the work that should be expedited was the painting of buildings and the permanent way work in, Lower Symonds Street, College Hill and Hobson Street. It had been recommended that the obtaining of necessary materials, whether by tender or otherwise, should be left in the hands of the chairman, with power to act. A Lot of Work. The manager, Mr. A. E. Ford, ported that certain reconditioning And reconstruction works in the permanent way department and painting of the depot buildings could be undertaken, but none of the work was urgent. The painting was estimated to cost £9OO, of which 52 per cent would be for labour. The amount of money required to carry on rationed time with the same number of men to the end of the financial year would be approximately £7OOO, but all the work would not be completed. It was to take until August, 1936, to complete the whole of the work, and the approximate cost would be £11,200. If all the men were provided with 40 hours’ work a week it would cost it 13,000 if all the work were completed by the end of the financial year, and that would be contingent on obtaining supplies of rails in time. The programme did not take into account reconditioning work in Victoria Avenue, which was deferred! by the late board, the estimates being £4670 for complete reconditioning, or £4156 for removal of loops and reconditioning of the track. Under the present arrangement with the Unemployment Board the Transport Board paid 32 per cent of the relief labour cost, while under the 40-hour week scheme the cost to the Transport Board would be 52 per cent. Mr. Allum Concerned. Mr. J. A. C. Allum said that the policy of the past board was not to do work with relief labour that could be done in the ordinary way. The new proposals were a radical departure. They had budgeted for a deficit, and if any member thought that the revenue could be increased by added expenditure he was mistaken. He would support the 40-hour week, but he was concerned about the additional work proposed, and thought that more consideration should be given to the matter. The chairman said that the men would go on with the work that was ready, and any additional work would be subject to the Unemployment Board making satisfactory arrangements.