LONG WORK HOURS

Pahiatua Herald, Volume XLXI, Issue 15165, 5 October 1942, Page 4

LONG WORK HOURS

CHILDREN IN FACTORIES LONDON. After a Luton firm had complained to the local National Service officer about “widespread absenteeism” among women workers, it was found that children had been working more than 60 hours a week ’.n t.he factory. The result was that "be firm, the Davis Gas Stove Company, was fined £94 at Luton on 38 summonses relating to the hours of emf ployment of girls under the age of 16. Mr S. H. Newman, inspector of factories, said the maximum for these girls should have been a 44hour week of five days .and a half. AH the summonses related to only three girls, one aged 14 and the - l • . i

other two 15. Had time permitted an, inquiry into the hours worked by other young girls in the department of the factory concerned—girls in respect of whom there was no complaint of absenteeism —tiie Bench would probably have had to deal with several hundred summonses. PARENTS TEMPTER. “In these days of high wages there is a great temptation for parents to allow and even encourage their children to work long hour.s for the sake of the financial benefit which they themselves will receive,” said Mr Newman.

He stressed the serious effect which such long hours would have on the health of the future men and women of the nation.

Mr F. Dumpleton, for the firm, said the offences were due to the zeal of those responsible for maintaining output in wartime. The chairman, Mr J. H. Staddon, said the Bench considered it a bad case. He hoped this prosecution would be the means of preventing children working long hours.

“Surely firms are not going to be dependent on child ren for their «ai output?” he commented