RECENT NEW ZEALAND LEGISLATION

Southland Times, Issue 23388, 21 December 1937, Page 4

RECENT NEW ZEALAND LEGISLATION

CRITICISM IN AUSTRALIA (Special to The Times) AUCKLAND, December 20. “The same conditions apply in Australia as exist in New Zealand in the boot trade,” said Mr L. O. Bennett, a director of Neill Cropper and Co., Ltd., who returned by the Awatea after a business visit to Australia. “For tanners business has been very quiet in the last few months, but they hope for better results after the New Year.” Mr Bennett said he had not been greatly concerned with the retail side of the footwear business. He assumed, however, that if tanners were not busy other branches of the industry also were going through a quiet period. Keen interest in the recent New Zealand legislation was being taken by the business people of Australia, Mr Bennett said. Most of them seemed to be of the opinion that New Zealand was probably running into trouble because of her legislation. The 40-hour week was a matter of particular interest and it was held impossible in Australia to introduce this measure and also higher wages and yet to keep costs down. Although there was no 40-hour week in Australia, costs were high there, Mr Bennett added. One example in living costs was the price of a fish meal, 4/at a good restaurant.