NO EXCUSE NOW

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 86, Issue 115, 19 May 1942, Page 1

NO EXCUSE NOW

THE FORTY-HOUR WEEK. C BURDEN OF OVERTIME. | Observations on hours of work • m wartime are maue in the latest , i bulletin of the Canterbury viiuni- I ber of Commerce, prepared after i consultation with the Department of Economics of Canterbury i ; University College. 1 After making the point that the! Jcase lor the 40-hour week was au- ' vanced mainly as a means oi aosorbing! the unemployed and as a palliative loi ( ( depression but that the need now is; I to extend production to meet, as far; ! as possible, a capacity for consumption’ I greatly increased by the war, the oul-l I letin proceeds: 1 "An important aspect of the legally I limitation of hours, seldom discussed;)’ i and not emphasised when the -10-hour ; ; week was introduced, is the effect on J | the earnings of labour and conse- 1 i quently on labour costs. Under the f | 40-hour week, it is quite possible to 1 work longer hours, but overtime rates c must be paid and received immediately the standard hours are exceeded. v Moreover, overtime rates are substantially higher than ordinary rates and increase steeply as hours are lengthened. In consequence the effect of ex- 1 tended overtime on costs, and therefore on prices, often prevents overtime being worked. It should bo re- < membered, too. that the regulation of c overtime costs, and therefore on j prices, often prevents overtime being a worked. It should be remembered J J too, that the regulation of overtime] v and overtime rates is closely associ- f ] ated with the limitation of * working n hours. But the 40-hour week and the j necessity to pay overtime rates for r more than 40 hours were introduced s at a time when unemployment was common and with a view to spreading a limited amount of work over a p larger number of men. Opposed to National Interest. a "In consequence overtime rates 1 were regarded largely as penal rates 1 designed to prevent overtime being i r worked and to stimulate the adoption of the alternative method of securing] c increased output, that of employing ;• more men . Now that men are short supply and the situation de-[<‘ mands that the limited man-power hep 1 stretched as far as it will go, the over- 1’ time regulations, like the 40-hour 1 week, are no longer appropriate, and '' in fact both are in direct opposition io • the national interest. "Overtime rates are a cause of par- t ticular difficulty where prices are t fixed, and they are now fixed so widely that in some cases additional good.; ' and services which are really needed < are not produced because they can- r not be produced without overtime 1 work, and the prices fixed will not 1 cover the cost of overtime rates. 1 i "This does not mean that overtime f [ rates should not. be paid. They should 1 be paid for hours of work in • x e s ol I what, can fairly be regarded as reason- t able in view of all the existing conditions. Then they are necessary, both as a reward for extra effort and as a ( penalty to discourage unduly long 1 hours. But a standard 40-hour week is obviously not. reasonable in present conditions. The regulation of working } hours and of overtime cannot be dh- f socialed and are inseparable. Both ‘ have been adjusted in New Zealand io . standards that, could be justified only in times of peace and plenty, and both ( stand in urgent need of drastic revision in view of the present emerg- . ency. "No Excuse.” j "In the light of this emergency, and t the national effort, required io meet il, i il is difficult to find any excuse for the continuance of the 60-hour week. At ’ a time when the maximum number oi' ( men are required for defence, and the ; maximum output possible is needed Io 1 support not. only the war effort, but 1 also the civilian population and Ihe 1 public finances, the limitation of hours i increases the number of men required ■ in industry and thereby reduces those ! • available for the Armed Force.., it I i diminishes output, and. where overtime ‘ is worked and paid for. increases its ■ cost. This rising cost is necessarily ; passed on. Its passing on incrcasees the ! cost of living and stimulates the de- ’ mand for increased wages, which in i turn increase costs further. It also|l increases the cost of all Government < activity, including the costs of war and defence, and thereby increases Ihe ; strain on the public finances. A legal ! limitation imposed in times of peace, i which impairs the war effort and the I standard of living, strains the public ] ■ finances and mages avoidance of infla- ; ~ tion more difficult, surely stands in j ! need of immediate revision.”

BROADCASTING DAVENTRY NEWS BROADCAST ( BY ALL YA STATIONS Davcntry news will te rebroadcan bv nh YA stations at 6 a.m.. 7 u- >.. S.4u a. , p.m., 1.15 p.m.. 6.15 p.m.. 9 P.m.. and II p.m. . TO-DAY'S PROGRAMMES ] 2YA WELLINGTON (570 Kilocymc I. , ' 7.45 p.m.: Evening Programme: “I.i'icrtv ’ I ; conceit featuring Peter Dawson i i bass-baritone with NBS Orchestra ami Ami ■- | sen Tyrcr. 10.15: Repetitimi of Greetm/s j from the Boys Overficas. 11.20: Close down 2YC WELLINGTON <«4o KilocvHes.. 7.0 p.m.: After dinner mu S/.: Popular session. 8.3 1 ): "Krazy I\; p< i . ' 8.55 Recording. 9.0: Variety. Air Force Mgr al preparation 10.0: Vaix:;.. 10.30: Close down. 2ZB WELLINGTON (1130 Kilocycles). j 7.0 p.m : Liberty Loan Sicgaiy Con.peti- i tion, followed by Fred and Maggie Everybody. | 1 7.15: History and All That. From Hollywood! 7.15: Ju .nti’.. I Jackpote. 8.0; Headline news fr< ii< ..td I ‘•You Ain’t Heard Nothin' Yet.’ Behind Those Wails. 9.0: Doctor Mac. i■: Scottish session ("Andra), 12.0: Clc. i down. IYA AUCKLAND (650 Kikcvclesi 7.30 p.m.: Evening Programme: Tejada I and his Orchestra. 7.37: Light Opera Company. 7.45: Al and Lee Reiser itwo pianos). 7.5 : 1 s L Ph • tone). 7.53: Jack Whiten Saxophone Irio. 8.0: Alec Templeton (musical caricature :. 8.6: London Piano-Accordion Band. 8.12: Hugh French (light vocal). 8.21: "Krazy Kapers.'' 9.25: Andrews Sisters (novelty trio). 9.30: Fashions in Melody. b>."; he Tree Musketeers (vocal novelty). b Al and Lee Reiser (two pianos), lu.10: Repetition of Greetings from the Boyts Oveiseas. 11.20: Close down. 3YA CizKiS'lCilili.Ui (720 Kilocycles). 7.30 p.m.: Evening Programme: Dchroy Somers Band. 7.40: "Dad and Dave.'' > 7.53: From the Studio: The Lynn Christies. 8.5: ‘ Kitchener of Khartoum." 8.29: Fro..i the studio: Cecily Audibcrt (seprano). 8.3:): j Kurt Engel (xylophone). 8.42: "The Buc- | cancers of the Pirate Ship Vulture.’ ’ 8.5 ,: Harry Horlick Orchestra. 9.25: "Your i Cavalier." 9.48: Featuring Film Stars. , 10.0: Variety. 10.10: R<petition <jf ings from the Boys Overseas. 11.20: Clc-e j ' down. 4YA DUNEDIN (790 Kilocycles). ’ 7.30 p.m.: Evening Programme: Bl’iti-h Light Orchesctra. 7.35: Winter Course Talk. ] 8.0: Recorded Band programme. 8.11: I Studio recital by Pat Woods (mezzo-soprano). 8.17: H.M. Grenadier Gua ds Band. 8.34:. Massed Brass Bands. 8.43: Studio recital I by Pat Woods (mezzo-sopran). 8.50: H.M. . Coldstream Guards Band. 9.25: Philip Green's < Orchestra 9.28: "Coronets of England; I Charles II." 9.54: Sidney Torch (organ). H 10.0: ariety. in.io.- Repetition of Greetings ‘ from the Boys Overseas. 11.20: Close down. |t

TRAINING FOR WAR

NEW ZEALAND’S ARMY OUTLINE BY GENERAL PUTTICK Wellington, May 18.. An outline of the main objects of th? Army was giv< n by Lieu-tenant-General E. Puttick, G.O.C. New Zealand Forces, in a broadcast address last night, in which he referred to the fitness and keenness of th:* men, methods of trailin', j, and the attitude of the public towards the Amr.. ‘‘Our objects." he said, ‘‘are to train men for (he highest possible efficiency in war in New Zealand or elsewhere, to perfect defence in all places, and to maintain morale at its highest pitch." General Puttick said that it. was impossible to have troops defending the whole of New Zealand’s coastline, and the defence of certain danger points had been decided on. Those local forces had to be kept at a minimum so that the mobile forces on which the security of the country depended could be kept at the highest strength. Since the Japanese had entered the war the eciuipment position had improved rapidly, and the quantity of equipment that, had arrived and continued to arrive exceeded all expectations. Efficiency of Officers. During his inspections since his return from overseas the troops had carried on with their normal work. He had found the efficiency of officers and non-commissioned officers oetter than he had expected, and it was obvious that the Army schools were producing excellent results. Commenting on lh° kenness of the men, General Puttick mentioned especially the married men and the Maoris. The troops seemed fit and well, undertaking long marches and Laming to look after themselves in the field. Training in New Zealand was influenced considerably by the results of fighting abroad, and reports, documents, and officers from overseas were all used to ensure training in the type of fighting that might be necessary in New Zealand. Commenting on manoeuvres h p had observed, in which tanks and other branches of the Arm\ had taken part, General Puttick said that the. tank crews had shown excellent discipline and the tactical handling of the tanks had been good. Bron gun carriers had been driven over all sorts of country with considerable skill. Them had be n a good many errors of all kinds, but errors had value in impressing on the mon the way in which the work should he done. The Home Guard units he had seen wore keen and eager to defend th' ir country. Before the small arms ammunition reserves wore high it would have boon unwise to issue ammunition to the Homo Guard for training, but reserves had increased in the last, few months ‘o an astonishing amount. Alreadv more than throe thousand Homo Guard in 1 motors had through the schools. Extravagant Claims. "A good deal of prominence has recent Iv boon given to the short-term training svllahus, and I am afraid somewhat ext ravagani. claims have been made for il." said th ' general. It had heon said a man could he trained complelely for war in 30’ days. He could only say it would ho a mira/’le if ihnl could he done. The question was lir-; mooted, so far as he could remember, in 1925. A syllabus was then prepared for Ihe training of men in one month and then expended month hy month. "All we claim is that il makes troops useful and ab.e to figl't by their comrade;- at snort nofico if necessary," he said. Referring to the sugg'S'ion thatbavonot fighting was obsolescent, Gcivral Pullick claimed inn- Inal pai-1 of a soldier's training inculcat 'd the offensive spirit, taughl him to Ink" care of himself, and enable.! him Io take part in bayonet charges lhat might he a decisive factor in a battle. In Crete. Auslralians and New Zealanders had carried out nt leas bavoncl chars" . A certain amount of ; poli h” also v. a s necessai > • for wilhoul i: one might have a rosy apple with rank"!- al Ihe heart. New Zealand's troops in Ihe /diddle East were smart. In New Zealand endeavours were being made to reduce the number of hours allotted to ch order training, hut there was a minimum under which it would not be safe Io go. Attitude of the Public. General Puttick concluded with a reference to the public’s attitude to the Army. For a time, he said, there had been little or no encouragement for the troops, but lately, at.er rc-fer-mces to the subject by himself, lie had noticed a marked improvement in that resnect, and it would have an excellent effect on the Army generally. The criticism had been made thal w h a i he had complained of was due to the public not. b ing told about the Army. He had no doubt that the Army did not give out .sufficient information, and now that the tr ,m»'ndous rush of work might Ir? receding a little it might be possible to give attention to that. However, it was as easv for the public to find out ine gonri things about the Army as Ihe bad things THE WEATHER (Special) Wellington. May 18. Moderate but freshening westerly 'to north-westerly winds: weatner, I fair to cloudy; temperatures moderate to mild Further outlook: Some I scattered drizzle developing in the ; back country. Time of Sunset To-day; 5.10 p.m. I Time of Sunrise To-morrow: 7.2 a I a.m. . , 1 High Water at Wanganui 10-day: 00.32”a.m. and 00.47 p.m. Phases of the I?jon tor May.—Full Moon. Mav 1; Last Quarter, May 7; New Moon. May 15; First Quarter, May 23; Fn" Moon. May 30.

COMPANY AFFAIRS. NGA HERE DREDGE PROFIT. A net profit of £1i1.2 .i is shown in the selOUiC.e Ol . a>t.v (. 1 !»:.<! ;•.: ■W. st JuaHti. for 1941. compr-red with tv 132 in the . .. 1 paj nent of ft claim foi loss of uofiU arising out of licdce stippnge.- .n 1940, making the total credit £18,753, which hi- been used in redaction of current liaiilitie->. At tnc annual meeting, the chairnan, Mr. C. C. Davis stated that .•xpe«iui<:. of yi Ids hd■ at beei n ill ed. but eturns that would Rive useful profits waft iti 1 indicated. The undertaking had c. st 184,500 above the estimate, but that burden tad been reduced to £58,400, and would urthcr reduced by profits of £7OOO earned in 942. Gold to the value of £77,445 was reovered during 1941, and total ojierating extenses averaged 4.1 d a yard.