BASIS OF WORK

Waikato Times, Volume 127, Issue 21227, 25 September 1940, Page 6

BASIS OF WORK

LIMITATION OF HOURS PRICE SYSTEM ADVOCATED ADDRESS TO EMPLOYERS (By Telegraph.—Press Association) WELLINGTON, Wednesday In his speech at the opening of the Employers’ Federation conference, the president, Mr W. Machin, emphasised two matters which he considered most important at the present time—production, which was vital to our prosperity and the proposal that decisions of the Arbitration Court shall in future be subject to an appeal. After stating that New Zealand’s great production in primary industries had been based on payment by results, he said he was certain New Zealand was missing the highest production in many industries where wages were being paid on time rates. Particularly was this so in the present atmosphere of the strictly limited working time imposed by law, and therefore for the duration of the war, at least, he thought we should revert, where ever possible, to piece work and payment by results and suspend, for the time being, the present rigid limitation of working hours which, he was sure, was inducing in many earners—consciously or unconsciously—a limitation of effort which was slowing up production. Factory Production

He quoted the Government statistician’s estimate of factory production for the years ended June, 1939 and June, 1940, as £30,500,000 in each case which, if it turned out correct, showed that production since last June must be lower because prices had risen and the value was estimated at no more. If the Prime Minister’s exhortation “Work for Your Lives” was to be given the meaning he intended—and a meaning in this grave hour was demanded—it surely was not too much to ask that serious consideration should be given to the question of payment by results. Sounder Method Wanted In regard to the Arbitration Court he said that if trade and industry were to flourish it must be recognised that the arbitrary apportionment of wage charges on industry, on the basis of assumed and anticipated volume and price return—which might or might not eventuate—musV give way to a sounder and mc/e ordered method. Otherwise, industry might languish because it would lose part of its intangible but most important capital—that of enterprise and willingness to venture—because of the arbitrary and disao’jiiraging impositions by the power the State. Before, therefore, the State wielded this power it should be satisfied— and all concerned should be satisfied—that judgments’, which might seem to be ill-founded, Bad ben impartially reviewed.