COUNCIL AND GENERAL LABOURERS.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1099, 11 April 1911, Page 5

COUNCIL AND GENERAL LABOURERS.

CONFERENCE FAILS,

WHAT IS A "LIVING WAGE".?:

The conference between the City Council and the General Labourers' Union was continued in tho council buildings last evening, the chair being occupied by the Mayor, Mr. T. M. "Wilford. Tho City Council was represented by: Tho Mayor, and Councillors Trevor, Atkinson, and M'Laren, and the union's representatives were: .Messrs. M. J. litardon, I''. O'Keefe, J. Law, and !•'. Stott.

Tho Mayor staled that, cilice the previous meeting, he had done his best to ascertain what would bo a fair sum to tix as a living wage for employees of the council. That such should lie paid there could bo no question, lie had, however, been unable to arrive at a definite statement of what a "living wage" really was. 110 had seen people, and had inquired into their earnings and expenditure, and found that their statements and estimates were very conflicting. Some had stated that Bs. a day was not a living wage, while others said that it was, and he could not see how tho conference could arrive at what a living wago was in Wellington. There was the question: What is a living wage here? And what is a living wago in other centres? Also in Wellington as compared with Wellington suburbs? A suggestion had been made that the best, way to arrive at a determination of tho matter would be for tho union to take the question to tho Conciliation Court, and, if necessary, to tho Arbitration Court. Whatever tlie Court said was a living wage, the council would have to pay. Councillor Trevor dwelt at some length on a criticism of the schedule produced at Ihe last conference showing tho cost of upkeep of a labourer's wife and family. Personally he believed that the matter would have to go to the Arbitration Court. Mr. D. M'Laren, M.P., said that ho was disappointed with tho position. He did not see why the conferenco could not say what constituted a fair standard in living conditions (for men in the employment of tho council) as well ns the Arbitration Court. Ho himself had tried living with a wifo and child on £2 fis. a week, and he could not do it. He regretted that the conference did not go into tho claims of the labourers of tho corporation fullv on their merits, because ho believed tha't, if (hey did, they could arrive at a satisfactory standard, Councillor Atkinson stated that ho had arrived at the conclusion that the matter should be considered by the Court. Tliev had done their best to look tho facts in the face, but he felt that there was onlv the one course open. Mr. M. J. Keardon said that he could only express regret that he had not behind linn at present a small bodv of men not 10 miles from Wellington, l'f ho had the council would not taunt them with tho Arbitration Court. Councillors present knew that, whether the Arbitration •i°S r j 'i BB "°' n " "irk properly or not, it had lost the confidence of the workers from Auckland to the Bluff. How long was the council to be made the cntspaw of the Employers Association? He knew for a fact that certain of the council delegates had been in conferenco with tho employers Association since the last conference The council was paying worse wages than private employers of labour for a similar class of work. The Mayor, ii V had remarked that he Sff%l U Vdav tOSCt th * mCn " nJntio^r 1 X °- shilling a day was Mr. Keardon: "You broke Tour promise. I have witnesses." failed " lay ° r: " I haVe done U ' r lx!st and m£." Bc " d0Il: " Y ° U bro,t * your P 1 ' 0 "

The Mayor: "I have not." Tho Mnvor added that ho; knew that Mr. Reardon J ';? ! . lcve , tllat 110 had done his nftLi a n? f uo tt llls that hs could fa - v wo »i ( i alter that However, every member' of the committee know hoiv ho had tried. Iho council ofliocrs knew, and tho labourers whom he had visited knew. He must let that stand as against Mr. Reardon s statement. He had told Mr. Reardon and others that he would see if something could not be dono to better tho position of the men, and he had tried and jailed because ,he could not arrive at a wished he couhl. h sai< ? tl,at 110 was sorry that tho difference between the parties had not been settled.- Tho union had not made extravagant demands in the hopo that tho conncil would "split the difference, but had put forward what tbev considered the minimum. If the meniW" of the council wero anxious lo settle the difference, there would be no difficultv in doing it. The trades unionists and workers generally had lost confidence in h? Arbitration Court, and he did not think the council should forco them to go to the Court, knowing the feeling (hat existed. They had not asked the council to fix a living wage, but to giro the increase because the wage paid at present was not sufficient to keep a married man and his family in a reasonable position. Mr. Law considered it an injustice to break off negotiations in tho middle. The proper course would have been to go right through, and then report to the council. It seemed to him that it was a matter of "how will it affect me?"

Mr. O ICeefe. expressed the opinion thai tho committee was afraid to'make a recommendation to- tho council, and that the committee had no intention of mat ing a report, and intended to shuffle until after tho election.

Mr. M'Laren asked as to the positionof tho motions w*hich had been provisionally decided on at the last meeting. The Mayor replied that ho thought that all they could do was to report tho matters already passed in the form in which they had been passed.

At the conclusion of the meeting the Mayor said that he was willing to go on if the conference desired to go on with other matters.

Mr. Reardon: "Don't make a joke of it Tho whole thing was prejudged!"