FORTY-HOUR WEEK

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIII, Issue 22446, 16 June 1936, Page 9

FORTY-HOUR WEEK

ATTACK AT GENEVA NEW ZEALAND DELEGATE "TOP SPEED TO THE DEVIL" By Telegraph—Presß Association—Copyright LONDON, June 14 The Geneva correspondent of the Times reports that Mr. A. C. Mitchell, of Wellington, New Zealand employers' delegate to the International Labour Conference, attacked the 40-hour week proposals as threatening serious repercussions to New Zealand. The vulnerability of her extensive export trade made her less able than any country in the world to introduce a drastic experiment of mandatorily maintaining a rate of pay previously earned in a 44-hour week. The passing of such a proposal into law would send "God's own country" at top-speed to the devil, an unenviable experience which he hoped she would be spared. MR. SAVAGE'S COMMENTS MACHINES DISPLACING MEN

PROFITABLE USE OF LEISURE [BY TELEGRAPH —SPECIAL REPORTER] WELLINGTON, Monday "There are some people who refuse to admiik that machines are doing the work of men," said the Prime Minister, Mr. Savage, when the cabled report of comments made at the International Labour Conference in Geneva by Mr. A. C. Mitchell on the working of the 40-hour week in New Zealand was referred to him this evening. Mr. Mitchell is an employers' representative on the New Zealand delegation to the conference. "Mr. Mitchell says that the 40-hour week will send God's own country at top speed to the devil," Mr. Savage said. "That is his opinion, but for years now machines have been displacing men from industry, production is increasing, and less human \ labour is required. The only way to meet the situation is to maintain the average man's standard of living, or ipiprove it if possible, and at the same time see to it that he works a shorter working day, a shorter working week and ultimately a shorter working life. I would like anyone in Geneva or anywhere else to prove that that is wrong. "Some people appear to object to reductions in working hours because they hold that the working man is not fitted to use the additional leisure which would be provided for him. There are plenty of leisured people to-day who seem to be able to enjoy their leisure to the full. At any rate, as working hours are reduced it will be the duty of the Government to provide facilities to ensure that the working man will be able to make profitable use of his increased leisure."