WORK AND REWARD

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume 79, 10 March 1944, Page 5

WORK AND REWARD

DISCREPANCIES ILLUSTRATED (From Our Parliamentary Reporter) Wellington, This Day. A plea for fair play for the people was made in the House of Representatives yesterday by Mr H. T. Morton (National, Wditemata). He was speaking in the Address-in-Reply debate and declared that nothing was more upsetting to the workers than the great disparity in wages which was so evident to all. He instanced the case of a State official who had many responsible duties to perform who was receiving £5 12s 7d a week. He had a week’s leave and was engaged as a “seagull” on the Auckland wharves. There he earned £ll 5s 4d for a week’s work. He had been told not to work too hard because it would be a bad example to others. (Laughter from the Opposition benches). The Internal Marketing Division was severely criticised by Mr Morton. He knew of nothing the department had done for the producer or the consumer. He referred to a letter he had received from a returned soldier of this war who had been encouraged to “grow for victory.” He took up a piece of land near Auckland and found he had no sale for the vegetables he produced because they were in competition with State grown vegetables. That was a rather tragic state of affairs. Mr Morton said that pensioners should be allowed the privilege during the war period of earning £3 or £4 a week without their benefit being affected. Many pensioners would find employment in the country districts if that alteration were made.