THE BASIC WAGE

Press, Volume LXXIII, Issue 21990, 14 January 1937, Page 4

THE BASIC WAGE

TO CHS BDITOB Of TSS PRESS. Sir,—ln 1931, during a trade depression period, the basic wage was £4 Os ►Bd a week. In this year of grace, the Arbitration Court considers' £3 16s sufficient to maintain a man, his wife, and three children, in a reasonable degree of health and comfort. Anyone would think there was no armaments race, no vicious circle in vogue, nothing but a state of the doldrums at the present time. The basic wage for Public Works Department employees is £4 a week, for Department of Agriculture (Forestry workmen), £3 15s, and watersiders £4 13s 4d. This, according to Mr Semple, in the only country in the world where equality for all the workers is practised. I might mention that implements of torture, such as axes and slashers, grubbers, picks arid shovels, and the Irishman’s motor-car used by Public Works men, are used by their forestry brothers also. Why the difference in wages? These two sections of workers are further taxed by high country prices. If the employees on all three jobs were paid according to the degree of energy necessarily expended, they would and should all receive £4 13s 4d a week. (Good luck to the watersiders.) Oh November 10 last the Wellington' Labour Department issued a warning to employers that no further leniency would be extended to those not having restored the 1931 rate of wages to employees (Finance Act, 1936). Should, the Labour Department take proceedings against the Department of Agriculture or should Mr Stanley Baldwin/- dictator of, the sheet anchor of democracy, be called iri as mediator for the sister departments in the land flowing with milk and boloney? Unless the Government effects a real improvement in economic conditions in the near future for the great majority of the people, it will be forced to realise it is. impossible to fool all the people all the time.—Yours, etc., STATE EMPLOYEE. . January 10, 1937.