DIFFICULT YEAR.

Auckland Star, Volume LXII, Issue 6, 8 January 1931, Page 10

DIFFICULT YEAR.

LABOUR AND INDUSTRY.

TERMS OF EMPLOYMENT

RENEWAL OF EXISTING RATES,

'•'Probably at no time since the Industrial Conciliation and Arbitration Act came into being has a more difficult year been experienced in endeavouring to arrange terms and conditions of employment/' said Mr. P. Hally, Conciliation Commissioner for the Auckland district, in giving an account of the operations of Conciliation councils in 1930. "On the one hand," continued Mr. Hally, "employers have had to make strenuous efforts to provide woik foi their employees, and owing to competition, to maintain and pay the present rate of wages. In many instances, and in many avenues of industry, there lias been a pronounced falling off in business and a consequent reduction in hands. This has bevn especially acute in the building and engineering trades, and those workers engaged in unskilled or semi-skilled labour have had very much reduced time sheets. "During the past year no serious attempt has been made by the workers to secure increases in the present wage rates, and generally speaking the terms and rates previously existing were renewed for a further period. Many employers have considered that a reduction of wages would have a beneficial effect on business, and that the present period of depression would be an opportune time to make an effort in • the direction of reduced wages, but others have maintained that a. step in that direction would only tend to accentuate the difficulty. Only in one or two instances have rates been reduced. "The relationship between employers and workers during the period under review has been of the most cordial character, and no disturbance of a serious nature has occurred. Both parties appear to have acted on the advice of one of the most practical economists in the Dominion 'That all should get their heads down to hard work and do 4 heir best during this period of depression.'"

Questioned about the prospects of improvement, Mr. Hally said he could see no signs at present. It was possible that a change of Government in England and a settlement of the present troubles in India and China would be factors in finding more substantial and profitable markets for New Zealand's exportable products.. "When these have been found," he said, "then our ■ local works and industries will soon resume their normal conditions."