COST OF HIGH WAGES

Evening Post, Volume CXXV, Issue 145, 22 June 1938, Page 20

COST OF HIGH WAGES

INDUSTRY HAMPERED

TARIFFS AND OTTAWA

(Special to the "Evening Post.") DUNEDIN, This Day, "The new award for the clothing trades is further evidence that the Arbitration Courts as now constituted are not Courts in the proper sense of the word but are Government departments," said the manager of a large manufacturing concern in commenting on the recent award. "If no consideration is to be given to the ability of industry to pay an increase in wages then the agreement entered into at Ottawa is flouted. Manufacturers will be forced to appeal to the Government toi further assistance by an increase in the present duty on imported clothing, again creating trouble between the I Old Country and New Zealand con[trary to the Ottawa Agreement. The wage increase given to female employees is unreasonable and is not based on the evidence.

,hn,^°K her P i )int *2 ™ hich objection should be made is the fact that while, l understand, no award can be made exceeding a term of three years it is very disturbing to business to have «p™?- t Wa l d f necessit ating continual recosting of factory products. Some manufacturers do not mind increases in wages so long as protection by an increase on the present duty is given Such increases in wages and duty will ,only add further to the already high cost of living, which will press more heavily on workers and on all others, of whom they are many, living on moderate incomes."