FORTY-HOUR WEEK

Southland Times, Issue 24497, 26 July 1941, Page 8

FORTY-HOUR WEEK

STATEMENT BY MINISTER OF LABOUR

Another official statement on the question of the suspension of the 40hour week as a war measure was made

in a letter from the Minister of Labour (the Hon. P. C. Webb) received at the meeting of the Southland County Council yesterday. At a previous meeting the council received a letter on the same subject from the acting Prime Minister (the Hon. W. Nash) in reply to representations of the council favouring the suspension of the 40-hour week.

Mr Webb’s letter was as follows: “Existing legislation provides for the amicable negotiation of wages and conditions of employment through Conciliation Council proceedings with a right of recourse to the Court of Arbitration as a final abiter where a settlement is not arrived at. While the Court of Arbitration is not subject to influence or direction by myself, I can assure you that due account will be taken of all relevant matters when the Court is dealing with any disputes that come before it.

“With reference to your representations concerning a 44-hour week, I would point out that the Arbitration Court is given power to extend the weekly hours of work where it is considered impracticable to work a 40-hour week. Many awards provide for a 44hour week, and in some cases even greater hours are prescribed. Furthermore, there is no prohibition of extended hours being worked provided overtime rates are paid. Thus a worker can work extended hours and, in fact, this is being done in many industries today.”