N.Z. BASIC WAGE

Grey River Argus, 21 October 1936, Page 2

N.Z. BASIC WAGE

EMPOYERS WITNESS. PROFESSOR TOCKER. (Per 'Press Association). WELLINGTON, October 20. Evidence by P. E. Warner, Lower Hutt. boilermaker, concluded the workers’ case before the Arbitration Court, on the bii.-ic wage. The employei'.’ ease opens this /iffcrnoon. Mr Bishop said that Professor Toel.er had prepared a statement, an 1 he proposed calling him to-morrow to give Messrs. Robinson and Roberts the opportunity of perusing Professor Toeker’s statement. meanwhile. . Warner, in the e ourse of his evidence. said that the New Zealand retail price index, however excellent it might be. as tin indication of general price movements, could not measure the variations in the cost involved in maintaining a specific standard of living. He believed that negotiations in more than half of the more serious labour disputes were protracted and embittered through inability of the parties to agree as to what wage would secure to minimum wage workers a reasonable minimum' of living. He expressed the opinion that the Government should call a: conference of selected representatives to confer with the Government Statistician, in selecting formulae and applying the weights to be used in the groups and sub-groups.