STANDARDS OF PAY

Evening Post, Volume CXII, Issue 10, 11 July 1936, Page 8

STANDARDS OF PAY

(To the Editor.)

Sir,—"When examined and considered carefully the action of»the Minister of Public Works in raising the wages of Public Works employees to 16s per dayplaces an unwarranted handicap upon workers and employers alike. At first sight Mr. Semple's expressed determination to have neither loafers, wasters, nor scroungers in his employ calls forth general approbation until it is realised that with Dominion's purse to draw .upon, the Minister occupies an advantageous position beyond the reach of any other employer..From this point of vantage, without any need to worry about' the earning of sufficient profit to meet his wages-bill, he selects the best workers offering, and' turns over the less capable to the private employer. In other, words, the money of the State is used to pay wages big enough to attract the best workers. One wonders where the justice of the position comes it. The private employer is expected to find employment for those who do not come up to Mr.' Semple's standard and to pay the same wage. * This leads up to another unsound and inequitable state of affairs. The levy of 8d in the £ on wages earned applies to all; therefore the amount of work well and truly done by the efficient worker pay's no more than the less amount badly done by the inefficient,^ This is an injustice to the State, and in its broad sense, to all concerned. "'

It may be freely acknowledged that the Public Works Department has done and is doing much. good work in New Zealand but, on the other hand,' it must in common fairness be admitted that in these changing times the value of much of this work is very difficult to assess. This being so, it may be asked why special treatment should, be accorded. The Minister recently.stated that he knew of farmers who worked the clock round all the week.- May I remind Mr. Semple that 'the fundamental need of all humanity is food. Neither Governments, Ministers, nor ordinary men and women can eat either roads or railway tracks. Farmers provide the necessary food. The. inferences are many and obvious.—l am. etc.,' G. GIBSON. Rahotu, July 7.