INTERNATIONAL LABOUR CONFERENCE

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXX, 2 October 1936, Page 6

INTERNATIONAL LABOUR CONFERENCE

RATIFICATION OF CONVENTIONS

(From “The Mail’s” Parliamentary Reporter)

WELLINGTON, Ist October. 1

In the House of Representatives this afternoon Mr T. H. McCombs (Government, Lyttelton) asked the Prime Minister if the attention of the Government had been drawn to the statement of the workers’ delegate to the International Labour Conference, 1 Mr G. T. Thurston in which he stat- j ed that New Zealand had not ratified J any of the conventions of that con- | ference; and if the statement was i correct, would the Government con- j sider taking suitable action? “I have seen the statement referred to,” said Mr Savage. “The question of ratifying the various draft conventions of the International Labour Conference has been under consideration, but the Government’s legislative programme for the present session, which was planned with a view to facilitating the amelioration of economic conditions of the people of New Zealand, has precluded the possibility of any action being taken in this direction during the current year. The matter is. however, being brought up for consideration when the legislative programme for the next session is under review. A number of conventions could, no doubt, be ratified without legislation being required to give effect to the principles involved, application of weekly rest in industrial undertakings; and forced or compulsory labour, while ratification of others would involve merely slight amendments of the existing law, for instance, conventions dealing with the minimum age for admission of children to employment. In connection with the convention relative to the reduction of hours of work to 40 per week, it may be pointed out that this is being dealt with by the conference industry by industry, while in New Zetland the 40-hour week has been introduced by this Government in a comprehensive manner far in advance of anything ever suggested by the conference.” .=