FACTORY LAWS

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIII, Issue 22400, 22 April 1936, Page 15

FACTORY LAWS

HOURS AND WAGES FAR-REACHING PROVISIONS DAIRY INDUSTRY AFFECTED FEATURES OF THE BILL [BY TELEGRAPH —SPECIAL REPORTER] WELLINGTON, Tuesday Now conditions for work in factories are laid down in the Factories Amendment Bill which was introduced in the House of Representatives to-day by Governor-General's Message. The bill generally follows the lines discussed by the Minister of Labour, Hon. H. T. Armstrong, in his references to its provisions in recent interviews and iu the main extends the Government's industrial policy as embodied in the Industrial Conciliation and Arbitration Amendment Bill to factories legislation. Among the most important provisions in the bill are those relating to hours of work and the principle of the 40-hour week is extended to factories in the same manner as it is proposed to extend it to other industries. The maximum hours of work are restricted to 40 a week, eight a day and 4} hours continuously without an interval of at least three-quarters of an hour for a meal. Women and boys under 16 are not to bo employed on any Sunday, holiday, or half-holiday, nor between the hours of 6 p.m. and 8 a.m. Rights ol Employers There is recognition of the fact that an award of the Arbitration Court can fix the hours of work above 40, but a clause in the bill places the existing maximum number of hours in any factory as the limit to which the Court can go in computing the number of hours for male workers over the age of 18. No account is to be taken of time employed in getting up* steam for machinery or in making preparations for work There is a right for employers to approach the Arbitration Court to show that the reduction in working hours is impracticable in any factory, but definite limits are placed on extensions which the Court may grant. Women or boys may not be employed for more than 45 hours a week, or 8i hours a day, while' the limit for male workers is a 48-hour week or an 82-hour day. Dairy Factory Work Another important section lays down without any qualification that no worker shall be employed in a dairy factory or creamery lor more than six days a week.

The rates of pay for overtime proscribed in the main Act are increased from time and a-quarter to time and a-half, while the minimum time rate is increased to Is 6d an hour. Under the Act men employed in bush sawmills solely in breaking down, sawing and logging rough timber," were entitled to overtime only after working 48 hours a week. The bill provides that they will receive overtime for all hours worked in excess of 40 weekly. The meal allowance of Is in the original Act is increased to ls^6d. As in the Industrial Conciliation ana Arbitration Amendment Bill there is provision that when workers are encaged on an hourly basis the reduction in the number of working hours weekly shall not be allowed to reduce the weekly pay, If an employee works overtime so that thex-e is a breach of the provisions of the bill he will still be entitled to overtime payment.

Higher Minimum Wages Further important provisions deal with minimum rates of wages. Under the main Act the rate was set out at 10s a week with annual increments of os until the wage reached 30s. The commencing minimum rate under the bill is to be 15s a week with annual increments of not less than 56 a week for the second and third years and 7s 6d a week for each subsequent year until a \vage of £2 is reached. Provision is also made for broken employment. Boxing Day and Anzac Dav are added to the list of statutory holidays in factories. There is provision for payment for statutory holidays and periods are laid down ranging from four days to a fortnight for which workers have to be employed before they are entitled to such holiday pay. A minimum of Is 6d an hour is fixed for overtime worked on statutory holidays.

At present there is no power for an inspector to require an occupier of a factory to take action to prevent any accident to workers except in regard to machinery. Under the hill an inspector is empowered to call upon an occupier to repair or safeguard any part of the factory for tho safety of employees.

tho period during which proceedings may be instituted for breaches of the Act when it comes into force is extended from three months to six months. Special clauses in the bill deal with working hours, rates of pay and overtime in laundries, tho main provisions of the bill being incorporated. The bill was read a second time pro forma. After n brief explanation of its provisions by the Minister it was referred to the Labour Bills Committee.

CONDITION OF TROUT FISH IN LAKE TARAWERA [by TKLEGRArH SPECIAL -REPORTER - ] WELLINGTON, Tuesday A request to the Minister of Internal Affairs to prohibit the stripping of trout from Lake Tarawera for one year as an experiment was made by Mr. C. H. Burnett (Government —Tauranga) in the House of Representatives to-day. Mr. Burnett said that fishermen reported that trout in Lake Tarawera were in excellent condition and suggested that stripping was responsible for tho poor condition of trout elsewhere.