WAGES AND COSTS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVIII, Issue 20779, 23 January 1931, Page 14

WAGES AND COSTS.

Sir,—l was very pleased to read the leading article in Tuesday's Herald. Ib is similar to the opinions I have expressed in letters to the press, in the last two or three years. I have always argued that if we are ever to have any alteration in the unemployed difficulty, the first step ,is to get rid of tho Arbitration Court, which has been, the greatest curso we have. It might havo been a little benefit if it had been used properly, instead of being used to force wages up to such a ridiculous figure that they became prohibitive, and raised tho price of everything to an abnormal level. This has been allowed to go on so long now that there is nothing for it but to cut down tho whole expense of governing the country, starting with the Prime Minister by a cut of £3OO, other Ministers £2OO and members of Parliament also £2OO. Then, I think, most people would consider them well paid. The civil service wants a good cleaning up. There is plenty of room for the pruning knife. It is' not much trouble to find out why the railways do not pay. The wages bill jis too high, and yet tho employees are very much like little Oliver Twist, passing their plate for a little more porridge all the time. I do not see that it would make any difference in what is called the standard of living if wages were reduced to something about the 1914 level, as evervthing would come down in the same way. Bread and meat are certainly at their present exorbitant prices owing to the everlasting raising of wages. IS'o doubt the adjustment would do away with the standard of extravagance which tho country has been suffering from for many years. A.B.