RURAL WAGES

Dominion, Volume 24, Issue 18, 16 October 1930, Page 13

RURAL WAGES

Farmers and Arbitration

Dominion Special Service. Masterton, October 15.

The Wairarapa provincial executive of the Farmers’ Union to-day expressed itself as not being in favour of and amendment, to the Arbitration Act, which would bring farm labourers into the scope of the Aet. The fact that the Arbitration Court has no power to make any adjustment to wages while the award is in force evoked some discussion. Mr. Cotter moved that the executive lends its support to the Employers’ Federation’s request for machinery to be established to enable the Arbitration Court to adjust wages under the arbitration awards and protests against the Government’s refusal to accede to that request. The unfortunate fact is that half the farmers in New Zealand could go through the Bankruptcy Court before the Arbitration Court could function, said Mr. J. H. Bremser. After discussion Mr. Cotter withdrew his motion and the following resolution was carried:— “That while supporting the Employers’ Federation’s request for machinery to enable the Arbitration Court to adjust wages under the existing awards, this executive is of the opinion that the remuneration for all services should be correspondingly adjusted with a view to facilitating achievement of the required reduction in all costs.