SHORTER WEEK URGED

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXII, Issue 22004, 10 January 1935, Page 10

SHORTER WEEK URGED

REDUCING UNEMPLOYMENT

LETTER 10 PRIME MINISTER

A suggestion that as a means of meeting the unemployment question the Government should introduce during the coming session of Parliament legislation providing for a substantial shortening of the working week, without reduction of wages, is contained in a letter forwarded to the Prime Minister by the Auckland Provincial Metal Trades Group. The group represents tho engineers, boilermakers, moulders and metal workers' assistants acting in concord.

"While not ignoring the existence of other factors, it is generally agreed that the rapid improvement in machinery and labour-saving devices is mainly responsible for the unemployment difficulty," the letter states. "The purpose of machinery being to save labour, it seems clear that, if it is allowed to be used merely to save wages, it is intensifying the difficulty. "The legislation for which we ask will provide that tho purpose of machinery be fulfilled, and we are of opinion that such legislation will • substantially ease tho position, oven though it may fall short of a complete solution. Wo realise that these are days of extreme difficulty, but difficulties are but opportunities disguised. This Dominion in the past has set an example to tho world in the matter of legislation, and an opportunity is now provided to do this again."