WAGE-LEVEL ATTACKED.

Auckland Star, Volume LXI, Issue 173, 24 July 1930, Page 20

WAGE-LEVEL ATTACKED.

REFORM MEMBER'S VIEWS.

YEARLY EARNINGS THE TEST.

LABOUR INTERJECTIONS,

(By Telegraph.— Parliamentary Reporter.) WELLINGTON, Wednesday.

An attack-by Mr. A. Hamilton, the Reform member for Wallace, on the rate of wages paid'to relief workers, and the sheltered condition of.the wage worker, compared with the farmer, drew a torrentJf interjections from the Labour party in the House of Representatives t °Mi? l Hamilton contended that Labour was fouling its own nest and spoiling the chances of men getting work. He believed there were many people to-day content to place their,: money in Government bonds at 5J per cent and work tor wages. There was no happier man today than the man earning a fair wage and in a safe job. It was much safer for him to put his money in bonds. _ Mr. F. Langstone (Waimarino): Does Ihe want a small wage or a big wage! Mr. Hamilton: He is prepared to work for a fair wage. There is plenty of work to-day, but the wages asked tor are more than the country can stand. ...The/Leakier of the Labotfr Party, Mr. H. 'E. Holland: Are you in favour of reducing wages? Case Of Timber Industry. Mr Hamilton said that one of the reasons why the timber industry to-day was unable to cope with foreign timbers was that its wage bill was too high. Mr. J.-McCombs (Lyttelton): Would you reduce wages ? - Mr. Hamilton: I don't want to reduce wages, but what is the use of high wages if a man can work only three days a week? What matters is what a man earns in a year. ... It was up to the workers m the timber industry to join with the employers and reduce costs. There was any amount of work, and it would be wise for the Labour party to help in adjusting conditions. Mr. Holland: Explain what you mean by adjusting conditions. Mr. Hamilton said that it was folly for the Labour party to-day to insist on an hourly wage or a daily wage. A man should see how much he could earn'in a year. It was a fine thing to have a high standard'of'living, 'but tlid wages not' have a§ much effect > o_ri i the .cost, of living as the cost of living did on wages ? Miv Hamilton-said- that he wanted to show the causes of unemployment in New Zealarfdi " While tile" farther'had'to face the open.market? .of .the wptfdnip-. dustries were sheltered behind the tariff and--the Arbitration- Court.- -If the fax- • mer was not entitled to fix the price he got for'Kis products, Tiow'c'ould he be expected,to-fix.wages? . , . > The Minister of Labour (the Hon. S. G. Smith): What about the bill? ] Mr. Hamilton said that he was point-! ing out that the farmer to-day had the lowest standard of living of the community. He was in favour of giving the worker a fair amount of protection, but the raising of wages to 14/ a day on relief works was very attractive and was taking labour from the land. "This speech," said Mr. W. E. Barnard, Labour M.P. for Napier, who followed Mr. Hamilton, "makes me profoundly thankful that the Reform party is restwlwre it is."