FORTY-HOUR WEEK

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 90, Issue 57, 9 March 1946, Page 4

FORTY-HOUR WEEK

SOUGHT BY N.Z. FARMERS (P.A.i Wellington, March 7. “It is impossible to provide a high standard of living for all New Zealand unless everyone is prepared to work for it,” says a statement issued bv the New Zealand Farmers’ Union to-dqy. "A national move, therefore, is being instituted by the Farmers’ Union and the Federated Farmers of New Zealand to see that, if the present hours of work are to continue in other industries, the payment for all primary produce is made on the basis of a 40-hour week with overtime for Saturdays, Sunday and holidays.

A resolution to that effect was passed this morning by the Dominion executive of the union. Calculations made in Taranaki, and examined at last week’s conference of Federated Farmers showed it to be necessary to increase the price of butter-fat to approximately 2s lOd a pound to meet the 40-hour week conditions, a price which is considered to be as absurd as the Government's legislative action in limiting the hours of production on other industries.

It was reported that milk vendors in certain districts had offered to support the farmers' move and were prepared to charge an extra price for milk delivered at week-ends provided dairymen increased their charges accordingly. Calculations on the basis of a 40-hour week showed it was necessary to make a payment over the whole range of primary produce of £40,000,000 to £50,000,000 to put it into effect.

“Those figures demonstrate in a striking manner the total impracticability of a general application of the 40-hour week principle to an economy based on the live stock industry, where work is necessary every day of the year.

“Strong resentment is crystalising among farmers,” the statement con-

eluded, “and they realise the injustice of applying penal rates of overtime to certain favoured sections when they know it is quite impossible of application to their own industry.”