Wage-price policy tomorrow

Press, Volume CXIV, Issue 33512, 18 April 1974, Page 3

Wage-price policy tomorrow

(New Zealand Press Association)

WELLINGTON, April 17.

A major announcement on new wage and pricefixing methods should be made on Friday afternoon, the Deputy Prime Minister (Mr Watt) said tonight.

Mr Watt said the Government would consult several groups on Friday to inform them of its decisions, and he doubted that the groups would raise any objections that could delay the announcement.

Those to be consulted included the Combined State Service Organisations, the Federation of Labour, the iEmployers’ Federation, and “one or two others.”

[ Mr Watt declined to give ■any details of the announcement. I “You’ll have to see — [patience is a virtue,” he | said. “But it will be a complete package — and you've never seen a package so complete.”

i Mr Watt did say, however, that the new procedures [would not take effect from Friday.

He declined to say when they wou'd be effective, or whether the existing wage ifreeze and price regulations [would be withdrawn before the expiry’ date, June 30. The Deputy Prime Minister said the Cabinet had

been unanimous today in approving the package.' Earlier, the finishing touches w’ere put to the deal when the members of the Cabinet Committee on Policy and Priorities met in Wellington Hospital at the bedside of the Prime Minister (Mr Kirk), who is recovering from an operation for varicose veins.