RETURN TO NORMAL HOURS OR LOSE PRIVILEGES SAYS MR. FRASER

Chronicle (Levin), 31 December 1946, Page 4

RETURN TO NORMAL HOURS OR LOSE PRIVILEGES SAYS MR. FRASER

- Press Association

U By Telegraph-

WELLINGTON, Dec. 30. The Governmcnt will have no option but to suspend the powcrs and authorities oi' the Waterfront Xndustry pommission if normal hours oi work are not resumed on or before Monday, January 6, said the Prime Alinister (Mr. Eraser) today, jn a statement in which lie pojnted out that notwithstanding proposals made by .liim for a peaeeful settlement of the waterfront dispute the natiolial exeeutive of Ihe union was eontinning its poliey of restricting hours of work to.a five-day 40-hour week. Sueh a step, lie said, would moan the suspension of numerous improvements in working eonditions granted to waterside workers. "This wiL mean the suspension of all orders and deeisions of the Waterlront Control ( 'ommission and the Waterfront Industry (•ommission, jncluding the main order preseribing wages and eonditions oi empioyment, abandoninent of the eo-operative contraeting system, and the suspension of numerous other improvements in working eonditions granted to waterside workers," said Mr. Fraser. The staff of the Commission, he added, would eoutinue in the monntime to operate the labour engagement bureaux and eentral pay offiees and would aJso eontinue to administer the granting of annual holidays to waterside workers under the Annual Holidays Act. The suspension order would not apply at any pori or ports where the orders and dccisions of the Commission were observed and normal hours of work resumed. The Government would regi'et having to take the stcps outlined as it was of the opinion that Commission control on the waterfront had been of considerable benefit to waterside workers throughout New Zealand and to the industry as a wliole, but if Commission control were to be retained the Commission 's authority must be observed.