GERMAN PROSPERITY.

Hawera Star, Volume XLVII, 8 October 1928, Page 5

GERMAN PROSPERITY.

DIVIDEND PAYING COMPANIES INCREASE. THE LABOUR SITUATION. Unned Press Association—By Electric Telegrapn Copyright.) a (Australian Press Association.) LONDON, Oct. 6. In a .careful analysis : of economic conditions in Germany, Mr. Thelwail, British commission counseller at Beilin. says in the Board of Trade Journal that while a temporary setback is being suffered in the home market there is reason to anticipate a real check in the country’s general progress,' resulting in merely a slowing down of the pace’ of the general recovery from the ravages of inflation, which has been too. hot to last. A valuable index of the general prosperity last year was shown by' the fact that the total- actual dividend distributions by 329 industrial companies quoted on the Stock Exchange showed a- 34 per cent increase over the previous - year. . Twenty-seven transport companies showed" a similar increase of 54 per cent.’ Mr. Thel wall’s references to the labour situation are of special interest to Australia. He says the -most striking feature has been increase of wages and salaries. The system of official arbitration and compulsory awards has cut short many disputes threatening to become prolonged stuggles; , So far the worlters have practically always obtained increases, but the "on,sequent continual upward trend of. orices is giving concern. A vicious circle of wage and price increases is unbroken, and no effective step to bring about stability has yet been conceived.