ADJUSTMENT OF WAGES

Evening Star, Issue 18138, 30 November 1922, Page 9

ADJUSTMENT OF WAGES

WRONG IMPRESSION GREATER STATEMENT BY ARBITRATION COURT. NO NEW PRINCIPLE. In reference to a statement recent) published regarding possible furthe adjustment of wages, Sir Justice Erase made the following explanation at tb opening of the sitting of the Arbitra tion Court this morning:— “ Our attention has been drawn to » reference in one of the Dunedin papers ho a discussion on the cost of living in relation to future wage adjustments that arose at the sitting of the court at Invercargill. It would appear from the brief report and the comments made upon it that the court had laid down some new principle. What actually happened was that a union advocate marie the statement that money wages were being reduced, and that prices were not being correspondingly reduced. I replied that wages were adjusted in accordance with the actual ascertained fall in prices, and that no further general reduction in wages would bo likely to be made unless there was a still further drop in prices. To that extent the manufacturers and traders had the matter of any further adjustment of wages in their own hands. The statement made by the advocate and my reply were only a passing incident in the hearing of a case, but as it appears that an impression is current that the court has laid down some new rule of policy, the members of the court think that tho earliest opportunity should be taken of correcting that impression. As on past occasions, the matter of wages adjustments will be dealt with by the court only after a full investigation and consideration of ail relevant circumstances. The court reduces money wages after an actual drop in prices, and not in anticipation or a. fall that may or may not he realised. The court has not even considered the possibility of adopting any new policy. Wo hope that this statement will remove any misapprehension from tho minds of employers and workers.”