PROTEST AGAINST PRICE RISES

Press, Volume LXXXIX, Issue 27226, 18 December 1953, Page 12

PROTEST AGAINST PRICE RISES

Wellington Public Servants GOVERNMENT’S ‘SABOTAGE’ OF COURT ORDER (New Zealand Press Association) WELLINGTON, December 17. A meeting of 400 civil servants in Wellington tonight passed a resolution claiming that the Government had sabotaged the recent Arbitration Court wage increase. A supplied report, said the meeting, which was of Wellington public servants, had been called by the Wellington section committee of the Public Service Association, and was addressed by the national president (Mr J. H. Touhy) and by the national secr -ary (Mr J. Turnbull). awo resolutions were passed almost unanimously. The first was:—

“That this meeting wholeheartedly endorses 'the action so far taken by the national executive committee in regard to the recent wage increase and subsequent rise in prices, and urges the executive to continue to press for the removal of anomalies, particularly those relating to margins and to women.

“That this meeting urges the national executive committee of the association to continue to confer with other organisations of wage and salary earners with a view to an early all-in conference on wages and the cost of living aiming at a common policy thereon.

“That this meeting calls for a most emphatic protest to the Government at its sabotage of the recent Arbitration Court increase, and supports the initiative of the Federation of Labour demanding that the Government create the conditions for a further immediate wage increase.

“That this meeting deciares that, failing a satisfactory response from the Government the association could only conclude that with an Arbitration Court rendered ineffective and a tribunal inoperative, wage and salary earners will have to seek some means of obtaining social justice other than arbitration.” The second resolution was:— “That this meeting calls for the following action on prices:—(a) that the national executive committee launch a cost of living petition to the Cabinet as early as possible, this petition to include reintroduction of strict price control, with public hearings of the Price Tribunal; (b) that the management committee of the Wellington section of the association lodge an objection with the Town Clerk of the Wellington City Council before January 7 on the increase in tram and bus fares, which weigh very heavily on public servants, who constitute a substantial proportion of tram and bus users in Wellington.”

PRICE INCREASES OPPOSED PROTEST BY HOUSEWIVES’ UNION The executive of the Canterbury Housewives’ Union has issued a statement protesting against the action of the Government in removing subsidies from essential foods and allowing increases to be made in prices since the Arbitration Court made its order increasing wages. “Because of the record profits made by New Zealand businesses in the last year, and since the wage increase was granted to offset the rise in the cost of living, we are in complete unity with expressions of disgust made by the organised sections of the workers,” said the statement. “We are ready to co-operate to the utmost in any action to secure the reinstatement of subsidies and to have price control strictly imposed.”

EARLY PARLIAMENTARY SESSION URGED (New Zealand Press Association) AUCKLAND, Dec. 17. The Auckland district council of the Federation of Labour wants Parliament to sit immediately after the Royal visit to discuss price increases. It decided tonight to send this request to the Prime Minister (Mr Holland), the Leader of the Opposition (Mr Nash), and the national executive of the federation. PROTEST BY WATERSIDE WORKERS The following resolution was passed at a special meeting of the Lyttelton Waterside Workers’ Union yesterday:— “The Lyttelton Waterside Workers’ Union joins with all 'other workers throughout the country in protesting against the Government’s action in allowing the effect of the Arbitration Court’s pronouncement to be made negative overnight by increased costs and the lifting of subsidies on foodstuffs.” BACK PAY FOR NAVY (New Zealand Press Association) WELLINGTON, December 16. Two weeks’ intensive work in the Navy Office, Wellington, will mean that the 2800 officers and men of the Royal New Zealand Navy will receive their back pay in time for Christmas, says the Navy Office. Even the men in the two New Zealand frigates serving in Korea will receive some, if not all, of their back pay, and will be brought on to the new rates before Christmas. INCREASE IN FEE FOR RADIO LICENCE (New Zealand Press Association) WELLINGTON, December 17. Regulations increasing from 25s to 30s the fee for an ordinary radio licence are cqntained in tonight’s Gazette. ‘