HAS LABOUR MADE GOOD?

Auckland Star, Volume LIX, Issue 25, 31 January 1928, Page 6

HAS LABOUR MADE GOOD?

Some months ago I wrote a letter to tie "Star"' asking the protagonists of Labour to show that the Labour Government in office (and power) in Queensland since 1915 hid raised wages above the level of the rites obtaining in the other Australian States and New Zealand. Mr. A. S. Richards replied, giving statistics showing a greater "percentage' of increase in Queensland. Whatever may be the truth in that respect, it appears from a cable published recently giving tie rates which "apply to all awards tinder the Federal Court"' that wages are higher in eveiy State of the Commonwealth than they W* in Queensland, with the one exception of Western Australia. In Sydney they are 13$ per cent and in Melbourne ten per cent higher. I think it is fair to say that the general standard of real wages in a country is the best test of good government. Moreover, the very low rate, £4 in Queensland, as compared with £4 13/ in Sydney, cannot be explained away by difference in cost of li v i®?> as there is certainly not that percentage of difference in favour of the northern State, if there is any at ali. I would like some 01 our Labour members of Parliament to tell us whether, if we give Mr. Holland thirteen years lease of office, we mav look forward to a basic wage of £4 0/0 in 1941!