THE BASIC WAGE

Evening Star, Issue 20591, 17 September 1930, Page 12

THE BASIC WAGE

ARBITRATION COURT’S MEMORANDUM INCREASE IMPRACTICABLE AT PRESENT TIME A memorandum issued by the Arbitration Court to the Wellington builders, contractors, and general iabourers’ award is of general interest, as it deals with the basic wage and the cost of living. The memorandum is as follows: “ With a few exceptions this award follows the lines of the expired award. The principal matter in dispute was wages. A majority of the conit caunotT see its way to increase wages at the present time. The present rates iverc fixed when tlio cost ol living arcs wore higher than they arc now. Even though the basic rate may ‘appear to bo low, there is that employers generally treat the minimum rate as the true minimum, especially in the City of Wellington, and pay higher rates to many of their employees. This, however, does not amount to proof of the possibility ol raising the basic wage for the whole district. It is impossible to increase the basic rate for the unskilled labourer for, as was out m the memorandum to Hie expired awaid, wages arc, in the ultimate analysis, paid out of production, and the results of production do _ not justify any increase. The minimum rate, m such circumstances, is not a matter of ethics, hut of practical possibilities, and the court is satisfied that it is impi.icticablo to raise the basic rate at present, for an increase in that rate would have repercussions in almost every trade. Mr Montcith desires to record a dissenting opinion, which is subjoined.” . . . ~ The dissenting opinion ol Mr iUonteith is:—“l am not in agreement with the wage rates awarded. The whole province of Canterbury lias bad (by agreement of the parties) u minimum rate of Is lid since February 1,192 b, over four and n-half years. Ihe evidence showed that workers lost considerable time because of w-et w r eathei and intermittent employment. Mon who received from 2s to 2s -Id per hour only averaged about £3 7s to £3l Os per week. In lact, the is to-day the same as recorded by mo in ynlume KXVI., p. ()■■)(!. The Wanganui Hnr hour Board is to-day -paying 1« and I believe the court should have made the Wanganui Harbour Board rnto Is lid.”