THE BASIC WAGE.

Auckland Star, Volume LII, Issue 206, 30 August 1921, Page 7

THE BASIC WAGE.

ADULT WAGE-EARXERS. MELBOURNE, August 24. • The inquiry into the request of the Federated Unions that the Basic Wage Commissioners' finding should be adopted as a standard 'by the Arbitration Court, was continued before Mr. Justice Powers in the ■ Federal Arbitration Court to-day. James Suteliffe, officer of the Bureau of Census and Statistics, said there were about 1.000,000 adult male wage earners in the Commonwealth on a fixed wage or salary. The adult wageearners who were married numbered approximately 550,000; of these, 163,----805 had no children under 14 years of age; 80,298 had one child under 14; 79,749 had two children under 14; and 226,058 thre* or more children under 14. The average age at which , men married was 29.41 years. Between 35 and 45 the average wage-earner had to support three children under 14 years. George Jones, secretary of the Master Drapers' Association, supplied a list of prices of clothing for members of a family for one year compiled from tables as at November 20, 1920, the date of the basic wage report, and of prices at August 15, 1921, supplied by six master drapers. The table showed a reduction on the spendings of a family .of live equal to 22.35 per cent. Member Nov. 20. Aug. 13. lieduct. of Family. 1920 19-J1 percent. Husband . .£2B IS 0 £18 1 1 1'5.5-J Wife 30 4 « 22 0 7 ~27.15 (Boy lOJyrs. 12 10 3 10 4 1 15.4 «lrl 7yrs... f» lit 11 S 7 2 13.47 Uoy 31JTS. 510 0 4IS a IO.iHTJ Total for... SI 17 5 63 11 1 22.85 family.