HARBOUR BOARD WAGES

Press, Volume LXIX, Issue 20978, 5 October 1933, Page 14

HARBOUR BOARD WAGES

TO Taj! JSDITOSJ 01? THE PSJJSS. • Sir,—l scq it has been proposed by ifc member of the Lyttelton Harbour Board to restore the cuts to the Iward's employees. It is a good thing to know that the finances of the board

are in a position to be able to stand it. At the same time, it is not reasonable to restore the cuts and, in effect, give the board's employees a higher purchasing power than they had before the slump started. The purchasing power of money has increased by 28 per cent., and it is in purchasing power that wages and salaries should be calculated. To restore the cuts would be making the ! slump a Godsend to the board's employees. If the board has the money : to spare to restore the cuts, it would ibe fairer to use it in restoring the purchasing power of those to whom the slump has brought poverty, loss of jobs, and distress. I would suggest that the money be handed over to the j relief of distress fund. Labour mem- ! bers of Parliament will, of course, favour raising wages for a few, making a few better off than ever they were. _ The next election is never out of their minds, and it would be powerful propaganda for. them to say: "We| helped to restore the cuts to the Harbour Board's employees." The Harbour Board's employees are. all right; despite the cuts their purchasing power is still 13 per cent, higher than it was before the slump. It is those 1 who are suffering because of the slump who should be considered,. not those who are profiting by it—Yours, etc., FAIR PLAY. October 4, 1033.