VARIATION OF HOURS

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXXIII, 5 December 1940, Page 4

VARIATION OF HOURS

NOT CONTEMPLATED IN GENERAL MEETING URGENT NEEDS OF INDUSTRY [United Press Association] WELLINGTON, This Day. “No variation of hours in general is contemplated,” said the Minister of Labour, Mr Webb, when referring in an interview yesterday to the regulation gazetted providing for a 48-hour week in West Coast sawmills and in some of the North Island mills to increase the production of timber for butter-boxes. The Minister emphasized that hours would be increased only on the recommendation of the Industrial Emergency Council. “All variations in awards must first be approved by the Emergency Council before I agree to their taking place,” Mr Webb said. “Any company or industry requiring an extension of hours for the purpose of furthering our war effort can send it to the council for investigation and consideration. The council hears the evidence of all interested parties and then makes its; recommendation to me. By those i means, every case is thoroughly gone I into and when the recommendation comes to me I feel confident that it expresses the good judgment of both the employees’ and employers’ representatives on that council.” Variations in approximately 30 different awards had been recommended so far by the council, the Minister said. The variations had been made to : meet the urgent needs of industry and j both sides had responded splendidly.