FEMALE LABOUR

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XX, Issue 203, 16 August 1930, Page 3

FEMALE LABOUR

ECONOMIC ASPECTS. JUDGE FRAZER’S OBSEVATIONS Wellington, August 15. Some important observations upon the employment oi iemale labour and its economic aspects were made in tiie Arbitration court by ins Honour Mr Justice Frazer to-day. following a ruling to make provision for female machinists in the motor-body building trade. The objection of the muon to the proposal was allowed, being based on technicality, and it was this that led His Honour w enlarge upon the point. “I think | ought to say something in reference to the general merits of the proposals to employ female labour on work which is peculiarly suited for females,” remarked His Honour. “The work in question is upholstery work, in respect of which females have been employed for years in furniture factories. We know that the motor-body building trade in New Zealand is not in a good position at the present time. Whenever the question of tariff conies up one sees in the newspapers refernce to requests made by the body-build-ing trade for increased protection. “We know that our foreign competitors arc adopting most up-to-date? and economical methods of manufacture, and if we do not follow their example, we are only making our own difficulties greater and are heading for the bankruptcy court. If we can cheapen our cost of production and so reduce the prices of the finished article to out own consumers, we shall build up bigger trade and give more employment for an increasi ed number of male workers to perform the operations which must always be set apart for these workers. I cannot see anything to warrant any restriction on the employment of females in m-achining work on upholstery. and I hope that, although the Court lias had to throw out the question on technicalities, the parties in the case will get together and reconsider the matter in the best interests of the industry as a whole.”