FORTY-HOUR WEEK

Wairarapa Times-Age, 8 October 1940, Page 6

FORTY-HOUR WEEK

A STRONG PROTEST. MADE BY FARMERS’ UNION. At a meeting of the Wairarapa Provincial executive of the Farmers’ Union held in Masterton yesterday it was decided to communicate with the New Zealand Farmers’ Union urging that organisation to lodge a strong protest to the Government against the 40hour week being continued by sections of the community, while other sections were working long hours in the effort to increase production. “We have the prospect of farmers slogging away on their farms from 6 o’clock in the morning to 7 o’clock at night for seven days a week, and we are told to carry on—we must have increased production,” stated Mr W. J. Hutchings (South Wairarapa). “Why should we have to be alone ih the effort? My own family of five sons are dairy-farming. They and their wives and some of their children are working similar long hours. This seems to be a hard thing, when others have to work only a 40-hour week. We should protest strongly against it.” Mr Hugh Morrison (president): “We have protested and protested. ’ “We must keep on protesting,” continued Mr Hutchings. “Consider the ' position with regard to cans. When we were compelled to change over to cheese we were asked to send in our < cans for retinning. What happened? Why, were wore given cans that were . a disgrace to put milk into, and the ] cans we sent away were not returned. ( It was no fault of the dairy company. The cans were all they had. Then we , learn that a firm which retins the cans had said that it had enough work in hand to keep the staff working on cans until Christmas. What use are the cans at Christmas? We want them > now. Our peak of production will be • next month. If extra work is to be 1 done it should be done, and we should ’ get our cans now.” 1 Mr Hutchings remarks were endor- : sed by other speakers, one of whom i stated that never in his experience had < he known such dissatisfaction to exist >' among the dairy farmers. *