DEFENCE OF NEW ZEALAND

Wairarapa Times-Age, 17 March 1942, Page 6

DEFENCE OF NEW ZEALAND

PRIORITY PLAN. approval of workers. (Bv Telegraph—Press Association.) ’ WELLINGTON, This Day. Approval of the conditions under which the defence priority plan is to operate is expressed in a joint statement issued yesterday by the New Zealand Workers’ Union and the General Labourers’ National Federation, two of the largest workers’ organisations affected.

“We are behind the intensive war effort wholeheartedly,” says the statement. “The majority of these works will be ‘offensive construction works and the workers concerned will welcome the incisive drive now afoot for the culmination of efforts which have engaged them since the outbreak of ‘‘The extension of the hours to 54 a week is not new; on these works and similar essential works, the workers have shown an inspiring willingness to work extended hours, and have, in actual fact, been working heavy additional hours which no overtime rates could fully recompense. Quietly and efficiently this work has gone on and in some cases continuously for 24 hours a day, and the workers and engineers engaged on the jobs have often had a quiet chuckle at the fulminations of ignorant easy-chair critics who occasionally attacked the ‘4O- - week.’ ”