HOUSEHOLD ECONOMY

Grey River Argus, 14 April 1916, Page 8

HOUSEHOLD ECONOMY

ARBITRATION COURT JUDGE 'S~OOMMENT. In the Arbitration Court in Mcl bourne last week, Mr. Justice Powers, in delivering his reserved judgment in the claimi made by the .Federated Clerks' Union of Australia/ for increased wages and better working conditions generally in the various 'Commonwealth Departments, in which its members are temporarily employed, said: — "I recognise that people cannot live in these days in reasonable comfort on the living wage prescribed, if they attempt to maintain the same regimen as in the days before the war and the drought. If clothing goes up in price, ordinary people are more careful of what they possess, and of new purchases. ' If butter goes

I cent"' the ..'cost- of living 1 has not ; doubled. People are using some t thing cheaper instead. A saving | can be effected in many cases t>y j ' ' following the King ' ' — no alcholie liquor during the war. No one j who is, not extravagant lives in 'these days just as he did before I the war, and to help those who fight for us : — and it is not top imuch to expect those who cannot ; or writ not, enlist, and who are ; free from the horrors, dangers,' and direct losses of war itself, to iput tip with some sacrifices, once ..a living wage is secured. It app<ears strange that thie threatened ; stride by a union was against %c one employer (the Commonwealijn ! really the public) , who pays the (highest wage for the shortest , hours of duty; who pays for Kqli-j idays, allows sick leave after twel-i jye months, and who apt only ; grants preference to unionistSj but pays non-unionists less than the value placed on their wort by this .Court's awards. "Our .bi'ave soldiers and our' Allies, are fighting for us on low wages, hard conditions, poor food long hours, offering life itself, if necessary./ Those who stay at home in safety ought to reniember | these facts, and that the public funds are required for the war — for the widows and relatives of our brave dead — to assist the families of those who go to the front land for the relief of our returned { 'wounded soldiers^ The nation will •be poorer after the war, .and all Jmust bear their fair share of the burden ' willingly, or unwillingiy, i when we begin to feel the' effects , of the war in Australia, as we •must do later on. Strikes to get j more out of the public funds, bas-' jed on abnormal war prices— 4xI cept for a living \Yage— under the circumstances, ought to be the last resort of Australians in war; time. If a claim cannot bear investigation by a Court or Wages Board, it ought hot to be pressed for in these times." ;