THE WAGE STANDARD

Evening Star, Issue 20671, 19 December 1930, Page 8

THE WAGE STANDARD

OPPOSITION TO REDUCTION LABOUR VIEWS EXPRESSED [Bek United Pkess Association.] CHRISTCHURCH, December 19. A protest against the abolition of the Arbitration Court and any reduction in wages was mado by 700 people at a meeting in tho Civic Theatre last evening. Speeches setting out the Labour Party’s view on the present, economic situation of the dominion wore made by t'iie mayor (Rev. J. K. Archer) and four Labour members of Parliament. The meeting resolved —“That tips meeting of citizens confidently affirms, with Mr Philip Snowden, that a reduction in wages is no panacea for trade depression. On the contrary, it aggravates tho position by lessoning still further the effective demand. What is wanted when trade is bad is to increase the volume of purchasing power.” This is the philosophy of Mr Henry Ford and other leading industrialists. This meeting emphatically protests against the insidious and sustained propaganda by Chambers of Commerce and other bodies against the Arbitration Court. This propaganda has already had most detrimental effects on trado and industry, as every retailer and manufacturer can testify.’-’-