INCREASING WAGES

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXI, Issue 21899, 7 September 1934, Page 12

INCREASING WAGES

REQUEST BY LABOUR RIGHT TO APPROACH COURT TIME NOT YET ARRIVED [BY TELEGRAPH—SPECIAL REPORTER] WELLINGTON, Thursday The view that it would be premature to give workers the right to approach the Arbitration Court and state a case for a general order increasing wages was expressed by the Prime Minister, Mr. Forbes, when replying to-day to a deputation from the New Zealand Trades and Labour Councils' Federation. . ' The deputation considered that workers under awards Bhonld receive a 5 per cent increase in wages in lino with the increase recently made to public servants. Mr. J. -Read, president of the Wellington Trades and .Labour Council, said that if the workers desired to get an adjustment of their wages without a general order there would be about 350 separate disputes and he suggested it would be much more sensible to enable proceedings to be taken by way of application for a general order increasing wages. Replying, Mr. Forbes said that when the general order was made empowering a 10 per cent cut in wages the employers were not compelled to make reductions, and many of them had not done so. If tho workers obtained a general order employers would be compelled to raise wages whether they could do so or not. Although there had been a general improvement in conditions some industries had not felt the full benefit of that and could not afford to increase wages. As far as the necessaries of life were concerned wage rates now had moro purchasing power than in 1929. There was no reason why firms should not increase wages if they were in a position to do so. If a business was making a good profit it should do something to enable its employees to participate in that profit. Mr. Forbes recalled'that he had appealed to firms which were in a position to do so to increase wages and he wished to wait and see what response was made to that appeal before taking further action. If the response was disappointing he would be pleased to discuss the question again with the deputation at some future date, but at present he felt it was premature to talk about a general order. As far as the Government was concerned it would see that justice was done to the workers. If justice were not done the Government would not hesitate to take action.

SOUTHLAND COUNTY STAEF WAGES RAISED 5 PER CENT [by telegraph-—press association! // INVERCARGILL,. Thursday The Southland C oun ty Councjl has increased by 5 per cent the salaries and wages of all its employees. The council staff previously suffered two 10 per cent cuts; . . - , .