BASIC WAGE FIXED.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIII, Issue 19512, 16 December 1926, Page 13

BASIC WAGE FIXE D.

DECISION IN AUSTRALIA. FAMILY • ENDOWMENT PLAN. SUGGESTIONS FOR OPERATION. Bv Tcksraph—Press Association— CepyricbL (Received 5.5 p.m. A. : au(l XZ" SYDNEY, Dec. 15. Mr. I'iddiijglon, . Industrial, Coinmi?; sioper. to-day issued the basii}. wage .finding- This leaves-the basic wssge i'Qt" adult males unaltered at £4 4s, bu: with a recommendation that a family endowment schame should be formulated. The announcement of the : iemaje wage was deferred. The commissioner fixed the standard of living for a family of five at .£5 6s weekly. In suggesting a family endowment scheme he said a living wage without it was futile. As the matter could only be dealt with fully by the Federal Parliament, the State Administration should, whether in conjunction or not, with oilier State Governments, request the Commonwealth Administration to pass the necessary law. If this were done the State scheme might be absorbed in the Commonwealth scheme. If tho endowment fund was derived from a percentage of.five or ;;ix per cent, on the- wages- biU of each employer, collected by th« Treasury and distributed to mothers, it would be a matter of indifference to employers whether employees were married oi not. Workers with dependants equivalent- to chiidren should be considered as having children to support. Labour circles aVe greatly disappointed at the declaration of tho basic wage, A meeting of secretaries of unions is being convened to discuss the position.