FIXING OF WAGES.

Press, Volume LXV, Issue 19624, 21 May 1929, Page 9

FIXING OF WAGES.

FACTORS TO BE CONSIDERED. (rasas Aseoeunoa tsxsoba*.) WELLINGTON, May *). Inm memorandum to the Auckland Stonemasons' Award, Mr Justice Frsxer haa embodied some remarks on the stabilisation of wages. He reiterates what the Court has said before, namely, that the cost of Ii 7"»» ** the only fsctor to be •"£ that the general state of trade and the oosition of the parncutar trade conSed have to bJ taken i^*~g£ The memorandum says: "The Umrt has brought rate for unsSlUsd labour up to Is lOd per hour or m p** cent, above the 191* rata, fa the «■> same *V~ „„ the whole. means a lower j**jc»hmi»o ™ ——i..This was becmoMe the was the worst off and toe others were u."a Uy paid •»<*• Uian the award "The function of the Court is to fix minimum rates. The 60 per cent, increase was given in WIS and the e<** of living is. if anything, slightly lo«#r now. To fix the minimum rates on the ba*is of the higher now beintj paid to most worker* would probably have a detrimental effect on the trade. The ouestkm of wages should be viewed hroadlv, and it is worth noting that the Court has since 1914 substantia I|v increased the rate* for many clas-es. which were formerly below the stan- - dard minimum.

"On the matter of wage* generally.*' gays Mr Justice Fraaer. "it appears to ma that owing to variation* in the cent of living and condition? of to* nlorment in the different Australian State* and the different prinripJe* applied by wage-giving tribnnala in that j country. Australian award rate* cannot i wifely be tak*n m a guide in framing I New Zealand awards."