WAGE FIXATION

Evening Post, Volume CVI, Issue 46, 31 August 1928, Page 10

WAGE FIXATION

THE WORLD'S MARKETS ARBITRATION COURT PRINCIPLE This, I maintain, is a result of our pernicious system of wage fixation, and if unemployment is to bo met on conimonsenso lines, industries dependent on world market values for their products must havo entiro freedom from all restrictions with regard to production coats. The above statement was made by Mr. H. D. Acland, president of the New Zealand Sheepowncrs and . Farmers' Federation, at the annual meeting of that body on Wednesday. "Our federation," ho said, "has always stood for the abolition of compulsion and the statutory fixation of cost of production with tho product of the labour dependent on world conditions for realisation." ... "A case in point is that of the flax workers, the position with regard to whom was explained by Mr, J. A. Nash, M.P., in the House of Representatives. Mr. Nash stated that.the industry had had to closo down because the men would not accept 13s Od per day to enable the mills to keep going at the reduced price being offered for flax on tiic world's markets. The Court's award rate is 15s per day, but when this award was made flax was selling at £26 to £27 per ton, whereas to-day it is only fetching £22 10s." Inquiries have been made from authoritative sources with regard to the assertions made by Mr. Acland, and tho following statement was made to a "Post" representative to-day.;.— : "Mr. Aeland is not fair to the Court or to the system. He has omitted to mention that in the award in question, namely, the Flaxmillers' Employees 'Award, made on 28th June, 1927, the Court has reserved to itself the right I to ■ ■■ "": :.■! Suspend, alter, amend, or vary any of the provisions of this award in view of possible alterations in the conditions affecting tho industry: ■ ■ ■■■■ ■ -. ....-.■.,: •■:; "This may be done by the ■ Court 'either of its own motion or upon the application of any party to this award.' This goes to show that the arbitration system as administered by the Court is capable of making tho adjustments required from time to time to meet the state of the world's markets. It is ,suggested that this is a complete answer to tho whole objection of '.. the farming community, chambers of. commerce, economists, and others- to.:.tho. New Zealand arbitration system. A very I important principle has been opened up by the Court by inserting the clause abovo quoted, which should be capable of extension to other industries."