THE 40-HOUR WEEK’
lo The Editor) Sir. —Recently the borough water supply to me ceased. A neighbour about half-a-mile away was in the same predicament. I imagined that some municipal repairs on the water system supply would come on again. However it did not, and therefore at about *7 p.m. I telephoned to th® borough foreman’s residence. He informed me that there were no municipal operations in progress on the water system and further, that whilst very willing, he dare not go and investigate the cause of the stoppage of supply because he was “on a 40-hour week” and would get into trouble if he disregarded the regulations in that connection: further that if he met with any accident whilst on such duty, after hours; he would not be entitled to any compensation for injury. We remained, therefore, without any water whatever for domestic purposes (or in case of fire), for some 16 hours, until next day when the cause of the stoppage was found in the reticulation before the water piping reached me or my neighbour. It had not occurred to me that the 40-hour week might produce so dangerous a situation—l am etc. A.T.L.
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https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/NEM19390314.2.105
Bibliographic details
Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXXII, 14 March 1939, Page 8
Word Count
196THE 40-HOUR WEEK’ Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXXII, 14 March 1939, Page 8
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