EXTENDED WORKING WEEK

Southland Times, Issue 24882, 23 October 1942, Page 3

EXTENDED WORKING WEEK

Not Necessary In Invercargill

The opinion that a Dominion-wide 48-hour week was not necessary in many businesses in Invercargill, although it might be desirable in some other centres, was expressed at a meeting of the council of the Invercargill Chamber of Commerce yesterday. The matter was discussed after the reading of a letter from the Associated Chambers of Commerce, which stated that an extension of warehouse hours from 40 to 48 hours had been considered, and it had been suggested that any surplus of labour created through an extension of hours could be utilized by the formation of a labour pool from which could be drawn workers required in associated industries. “We earnestly request your committee to give this matter its serious and early consideration, and we trust that as a result it will see its way to recommend strongly that there be established a universal working week of 48 hours for the duration of the war,’ stated the letter. The president (Mr J. N. Armour) said a sub-committee appointed to consider the remits for the annual conference had given thought to a remit on the subject and had decided that such an extension of hours was not necessary in Invercargill. Mr P. B. Witt said such a change might be desirable in Wellington and other centres where large transhipments were handled.