MINERS’ HOURS.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXVII, Issue 17280, 22 September 1916, Page 8

MINERS’ HOURS.

STATEMENT BY MINISTER

[From Our Correspondent.] WELLINGTON, September 21

Answering a Coal Miners’ Conference deputation’s request for an eight-hour day in mines, the Hon W. I). S. MacDonald, Minister of Alines, said that (die whole question was whether, in making an eight-hours’ day an absolute bar to 7«. minor doing more work in ii'.v ono day would benefit . the miner or not. At present overtime averaged thirty-five days a year, and that would be lost. He questioned whether a man with a wife and family could afford to lose that time and tho consequent pay. They had tried in New Zealand to limit the general - working day to eight hours or loss, and he was quite convinced that eight hours was enough for a man to work iii a mine, but lie would like to know tho absolute •genera! wish of Ihe men who were working in mines on the point-. In some districts there, was a great deal of lost time through shipping difficulties. and overtime enabled tho men to make up lost time, so to make eight hours a hard and fast rule might create hardship. If there was any place where the eight-hour principle should bo given effect to it was in coal mines, and so far as ho could meet their wishes he would do so.