THE WAGES PROBLEM.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LVI, Issue 17140, 21 April 1919, Page 4

THE WAGES PROBLEM.

COURT FIXES A BASIS.

OVERTIME DISCOURAGED.

[by TKLEGRATH.-'-PRESS association.] DUNEDIN, Saturday.

The president of the Arbitration Court recently intimated that the Court had in view the arranging of a basis of wages for different classes of workers. The Court has now filed a memorandum dealing with the scheme.

The memorandum Sates. "It is undesirable that rates of wages of workers in an industry should be liable to variation at short intervals. The Court has determined to fix the basic wage as follows: — Skilled workers, Is 7Jd per hour; semiskilled, Is 4sd to Is 6d (according to degree of skill); unskilled, Is 3sd. Tho Court decided that adjustments of the war bonus should be made halfyearly. The Government statistician had advised that half-yearly 'periods ending March 31 and September 30 would be the most equitable. He had undertaken to prepare an index showing the variation in the cost of living to the above wages. A bonus of 2Jd per hour is to be added to compensate workers for further increases in the cost of living up to March 31 last. This bonus will be readjusted as on March 30 each year. The sfcheme is subject to modification if necessary. It is hoped it Wi'l be a working £uide for conciliation councils.

The bonus is excluded from computation of the payment for overtime!. The Court has determined to in Mure grant substantial increases in amounts for overtime, as overtime is inimical to health. Overtime will be pa'd at the rate of time and a-half for the first three hours, and thereafter double time. It is hoped that overtime will thus be largely reduced. The present statement has no application with regard to the wages of females, or workers on weekly or monthly salaries. Such cases will be dealt with on their merits.

"RIOT 0? WAGE RAISING."

COURT'S POLICY CRITICISED. [BY TELEGRAPH.OWN CORRESPONDENT.] WELLINGTON, Saturday. Addressing the delegates to the annual convention of tho Coach and Motor. Vehicles Industrial Association, the president, Mr. W. J. Boon, said that, in accordance with amendments under the War Regulations Act in regard to increases in wages, increases had been granted in cases that had so far been heard. The evidence collected by the different associations, and put before the Court by their representatives was set aside by the Court, which decided that the increases asked for were necessary in order to keep pace with the rise in ♦he cost of living. The clause under which the Ckrart acted provided that the Court should havei power under stated conditions to amend" awards or agreements by altering wages or hours of employment. A subsection provided that these powers should be exercised if, " having regard to these and all relevant considerations, the Court is of the opinion that it is just and equitable 'to exercise them." This seemed to make the clause, as a whole, permissive in character, but the Co'irt took the view that it was man-: datory, and a flat rate of Is 7Jd per hour had been fixed. In addition, a bonus of 2Jd per hour had been granted, which might bo raised according to circumstances from time to time.

Whatever opinion might be held in regard to the best method of bringing down the cost of living it was painfully evident that the only result of Parliament's hasty and illconsidered action had been to intensify and absurdly complicate the problem. It was impossible to imagine where the " riot of wage-raising," upon which the Court had been launched, would end, but the main result! undoubtedly would be to make the cost of living problem more than ever formidable and difficult of solution.

One thing was evident. The workers, though not on a bare subsistence line, were not satisfied with their share of the products of their labour. There was no doubt that the amending clause in connection with wages and cost of living did not receive full consideration from those responsible for it, and th e Arbitration Court had taken it to be mandatory.