Thames Star FRIDAY, JANUARY 31, 1936. A REVOLUTIONARY CHANGE.

Thames Star, Volume LXVI, Issue 19621, 31 January 1936, Page 2

Thames Star

FRIDAY, JANUARY 31, 1936. A REVOLUTIONARY CHANGE.

“With malice towards none; with charity for all; with firmness in the right, as God gives us to see the right.”—Lincoln.

Since Mr. Semple took office as Minister for Public Works he has practically monopolised the political limelight, and his outspoken references to the programme which the new Labour Government intends to put into effect have not been marked by any mincing of words. lie has now revealed the basis of his policy for carrying out future public works, and if the broad principles he has enumerated can be put into effect, then a change nothing short of revolutionary is in sight. The abolition of all relief work on public works, and all works to be standardised full-time jobs—the first point of Mr. Semple’s new policy—is a long-overdue reform, and will meet with full approval. There can be no gainsaying that the introduction of the “dole” standard was the worst example the late Government could possibly have set, and the payment of a decent living wage will restore the morale and standard of work of the men who have lost heart in the past few years under the “dole” conditions. Mr. Semple has had the practical experience to realise the value of the incentive to work, and his advocacy of the cooperative contract system wherever possible is based on the beneficial results which accrued to him in his days of more strenuous manual labour. The adoption of a 40-hour week, however, is likely to prove the most contentious point of the whole programme. While most experts are agreed that this reform is bound to come, it is generally agreed that the time for its introduction will be the moment international action along these lines can be assured. Though the innovation of a shorter working week has been tried in certain industries elsewhere with success, it does not follow that the Government, as the employer of the greatest amount of unskilled labour, can afford at the present juncture to set such a pace for other industries to measure up to. We have already seen this summer the effect of the more attractive public works, even under relief conditions, in creating an acute shortage of labour for the farmer, and under the new conditions the position will surely be aggravated. Then, too, the effect on labour costs in all industries will bo tremendous if the Government’s example is to be followed to any extent. “We cannot see the end of such obsolete methods too soon,” says Mr. Semple, referring to wheelbarrow relief work, a sentiment to which we all heartily subscribe, but when the Minister dismisses the 40hour week reform with the comment that it will make for efficiency, spread the task and enable more men to be employed, with not one word as to the greatly increased costs involved, there is good causo for uneasiness in industrial circles. It is not sufficient for Mr. Semple to declare that “the 40-hour working week has been discussed all over the world in recent years. We have got the opportunity to institute it in New Zealand, and we will institute it without any more talking about it.” Leaders of New Zealand industry will require much more than Mr. Semple’s talk to convince them that the 40-hour week is an economic possibility under prevailing international conditions. The Minister’, the other day, threatened to provide anyone who got in his way with a

pair of running shoes —we can sco a big demand for running shoes to catch some of those Utopian jobs lie is dangling for the edification of his public. However, if the Minister comes this way shortly, there are quite a number of public works in the district—we can point out the aerodrome, access roads, etc. —to satisfy all seekers of labour under his banner.