WAGES AND COSTS.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVIII, Issue 156, 3 July 1937, Page 13

WAGES AND COSTS.

The chairman of the Hawke's Bay County Council hit the nail on the head when he said that a great deal of increased drinking is taking place as a result of the 40-hour week. It is not onfv in Napier and Hastings that this is the ease; the same applies all over New Zealand. I know a large number of men who spend Saturday mornings in the hotels, and get rid of much more money tlmn they can afford in this way. Since the present Government came into power, the cost of living has increased to such' an extent that even with the higher wages the people are worse off than ever they were before. These increased costs are due in a great measure to the shorter hours "worked for the increased pay, and when on top of that it is remembered that these shorter hours are directly responsible for men ■wasting a great deal of money on drink it can be seen readily how this absurd I theory of more leisure is working out.l Mr. Savage said that the increased wages would be of no benefit if costs were to rise, yet he and his Government instituted a policy that brought about the very thing that he condemned, and on top of that provided the opportunity for men to further impoverish themselves 1)V wasting money on liquor. I have always voted Labour, but never again. NATIONALIST NOW.