SHORTER HOURS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 23858, 12 July 1939, Page 4

SHORTER HOURS

GENEVA RESOLUTION NEW ZEALAND OUTVOTED DEMAND BY MR LANGSTONE (From Our Own Correspondent) LONDON, June 22. It was a case of everyone being out of step but the New Zealand Government and the Dominion workers’ delegates when the question of reduction of the hours ol work was discussed at the International Labour Conference at Geneva The Minister of Lands (Mr F Langstone) and Mi John Roberts were the only two delegates to vote against a resolution proposing the postponement to a future conference of the question of generalising the reduction of the hours of work in industry, commerce and offices. Two Solitary Votes When the resolution was put to the conference, Mr Langstone demanded a show of hands. He got it. For the resolution 90 hands were raised Against it, two solitary hands, his own and Mr Roberts’s. Sixty delegates abstained or were absent from the meeting. Mi Justin Godart, the French delegate, who proposed the resolution, said that it was based on the fact that many Governments would find it difficult to assume an international obligation in this respect at a time when economic activity and the development and enforcement of social legislation were gravely affected by the prevailing politica. insecurity, as a result of which a large number of countries had found themselves obliged to carry out extensive programmes of armament and national defence. The resolution was seconded by M- Goodrich, Government delegate 01 the United States. Opposing it, Mr Langstone sa other methods could have been adopted by the governing body and the conference o meet the present situation. The matter could have been discussed and a recommendation to the governments adopted for the moment instead of a draft convention. He thought it was unjustifiable to retreat absolutely and completely on this point. British and French Workers

Mr Hallsworth, British workers’ delegate, said they had been told on every successive occasion that the time was not ripe for reducing the hours of work. Nevertheless, the workers’ delegates would not vote against the resolution. M. Jouhaux, French workers’ delegate, said he would vote for the resolution in the hope that the firm resolve of the democracies would soon bring the present international situation to an end in the renewal of peace. Mr Watt, American workers’ delegate, said that to apply internationally a reduction of hours of work might jeopardise the potential capacities of the democratic fore- 5 - just at the moment they we: 1 needed most. He was willing to bear his share of responsibility for the concessions they were obliged to make.