FACTORY WORK

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIII, Issue 22399, 21 April 1936, Page 10

FACTORY WORK

LABOUR BILL TO-PAY 40-HOUR WEEK PRINCIPLE OUTLINE BY MINISTER EXTENDING GENERAL POLICY [BY TELEGRAPH —SPECIAL REPORTER] WELLINGTON. Monday A bill providing for important amendments to the Factories Act will be introduced in the House of Representatives by Governor-General's message tomorrow afternoon. The measure, which has been finally approved by tho Cabinet, is another link in the chain of industrial legislation, which is being assembled by the Minister of Labour, Hon. H. T. Armstrong, by whom it Avill be handled in the House. Discussing tho general principles of the bill Mr. Armstrong, in an interview to-night, said it would extend the Government's general industrial policy to working conditions in factories. In this respect it would follow the lines of the Industrial Conciliation and Arbitration Amendment Bill and it would have tho same provisions with regard to the introduction of tho 40-hour week. Factory workers through their unions would be able to approach the Arbitration Court for this reduction in working hours and it would be for the employers to prove to the Court that the 40-hour week was not reasonably applicable to any particular industry. The bill would also deal with the practice of some factories in "farming out" work to female employees who have to do the work in tiieir own homes. Mr. Armstrong said that in many instances this practice had become a "form of sweating," which the Government would do its best to abolish. It is gathered that provision for minimum wages, the application of the basic wage when it is instituted and tho improvement of working conditions generally will also be contained in the bill.