P.M. GLOOMY ON WAGE ORDER

Press, Volume CXVI, Issue 34046, 9 January 1976, Page 2

P.M. GLOOMY ON WAGE ORDER

\e«r Prc*s Kstoctatiott AUCKLAND. January 8. The coming General Wage Order “will certainly not fully compensate for price increases over the last half-year.” if the Prime Minister ( Mr Muldoon) has his way.

“I know w hat percentage wage order I've got in mind.” he said today. “But how the union representatives see it is another matter." Mr Muldoon, who is at h*> holiday cottage at Hatfield’s Beach, north of Auckland. said the overriding aim was “to get inflation back from the double-figure rate. "In 1976 there will be a small, but significant, drop in people's living standards. In essence, over the last two years, people have had it too good. “It’s not bread and butter they will have to give up.’’ he said. "We’re not talking about people starving. It’s things like, instead of every - one getting a new fishing rod in rhe familv. only dad will.”

The economy was in even. , worse shape than he had thought before the General; ’ Election. Wage and price ! restraints were essential. > "These things are never ’ voluntary.” he said. “In the; final analysis there must be t some sort of Government! - action.” He underlined his deteri mination to tighten belts by that the wage order might be "made by agreei ment with the Federation of i Labour. It will be a regulation. and everyone will have > to abide by it.” > So far. the F.O.L. and the Combined State Service'. r Organisations had been very ’ reasonable, and "understand [ the situation as well as we > do." Mr Muldoon. looking I much more relaxed than in, ’ the final stages of the elec-

tion campaign, said he had been having “a pretty quiet time” since he moved to the beach just before Christmas. But he had not been ignoring rhe affairs of State.: or the serious economic situation he talked about during the election campaign. "I can think better here than in Wellington. I’m going through a mountain of stuff here,” he said, waving Treasury and other reports lin the air. Reading, swimming, sunbathing, and just resting, is his recipe for a good holiday. Amongst the reading is a . 150-page book listing the financial problems facing each portfolio — a gift from the Treasury. Edwards book Other books, for his plea-i sure, include: “Right Out.” edited by Brian Edwards, after the 1972 General Election; D. Barrett’s book on the former Northland Harbour Board chairman, Mr Ralph Trimmer. “The Last Testament of Lucky Luciano,” “Trees and Srubs of New Zealand,’’ and a few ! novels. including “Rabbit 1 Redux.” by John Updike. He was also getting some thoughts on paper about the (last election for a possible (book he was thinking about. “After an election cam>paign you need a hit of a • rest too,” he said. (Reaction to Mr Muldoon’s comments on •General Wage Order. Page 10). Work resumes. — Normal (work resumed at Hellaby’s freezing works in Auckland I yesterday after a walk-out by chamberhands on Wednesday. (The dispute was about the * transfer of temporarily surplus boners to the freezing : chamber.—(P.A.)