LIMITING HOURS

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIII, Issue 22464, 7 July 1936, Page 12

LIMITING HOURS

AMMUNITION WOBKS

EXTENSION PLEA FAILS FULL TEXT OF FINDING The judgment of the Arbitration Court on the claim which the Colonial Ammunition Company, Limited, made for an extension of the weekly working period beyond 40 hour 3 was very brief.

Tho application was accepted and dealt with on the terms set out in tho judgment of the Arbitration Court relating to the footwear manufacturing industry, stated the judgment, which was delivered by Mr. Justice Pago. The Colonial Ammunition Company, Limited, manufactured as its main products ammunition for military rifles and for sporting guns. It was the only company south of the Line which manufactured the latter commodity. It also manufactured certain other lines.

The company was a pioneer of tho five-day week, and had introduced and maintained it in its factory since 1918. Its employees numbered 100, one-half of whom were female operatives, and they were not governed by any award. The factory employees worked 41i hours a week on the basis of 81 hours a day on five days of tho week in normal times, but at rush times they worked up to 44 hours a week.

Tho operations of the company were to some extent seasonal, the judgment continued, with great pressure of work at certain seasons, such as a month or two months before the opening of the shooting season. Tho company asked to be granted permission to work on the accustomed basis of 411 hours in normal hours and 44 hours during rush periods. The Statute stated that the hours of work should not exceed 40 in any week, but that the Court might extend the period, though not beyond 44, if in the opinion of tho Court it would be impracticable to carry on tho work of the factory efficiently without the extension. The onus of proof of the impracticability lay with the employer. "We have carefully considered the evidence called and the submissions made," concluded the judgment, "and have come to the conclusion that it has not been shown it would be impracticable to carry on the work of this factory without the extension. An extension cannot, therefore, be granted."

APPLICATIONS ADJOURNED ENGINEERING AND BUTCHERY [BY TELEGRAPH —PRESS ASSOCIATION] WELLINGTON, Monday The Arbitration Court to-day consented to an adjournment of the application of the engineering- industry in respect to the 40-hour week, the delay being due to pending conciliation proceedings. The butchery trade also obtained an adjournment of its application, which was amended from a 40-hour week to a 40-hour five-day week. Mr. Croskery asked if it would be possible to take all the shopping trades at the same time. It would be unfair, he said, to close one section of shops on Saturdays and leave another section open. Mr. Justice Page said the Court would like to have all shopping trades disposed of, as it was advisable, in view of the decisions that had to be made regarding Saturday work in other industries, that the Court should hear submissions regarding shopping trades first.

The range-making industry was dealt with and decision reserved.