WAGE RATES

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIII, Issue 22470, 14 July 1936, Page 13

WAGE RATES

Sir, —Permit me a few linos in answer to "A Disillusioned Toiler." Your position is satisfactory in so much as you receive extra wages to meet increased costs which, notwithstanding what Mr. Savage has said to the contrary, ;u'o unavoidable. If you arc a family man your only real gain will be increased leisure, which cannot bo taken from you. Think of those living on fixed incomes with a 20 per cent reduction, which has not been restored and who also have to meet increased costs. The way money is to be thrown about I sliaukl say prepare for the next depression. A Victim.

Sir,- —-For selfishness of outlook it would be hard to beat the views of " A Disillusioned Toiler," as expressed in his letter 011 this subject iu Friday's Heiialu. By his own showing ho has all along been the fortunate recipient of a decent wage, slightly above award rates, and if all he says were true lie is even better off to-day than he was when the Labour Government took office. What is more to the point, thousands of poor unfortunates who, under the previous order of things, found it altogether impossible to get work at all, hold 011 to their savings or their businesses, or their jobs as the case may be, and, in fact, found it very difficult to exist at all, to-day are at least a little better off and very much happier than they have been for some time past, in the hoi>e of the brighter to-morrow the Labour Government is moving heaven and earth to try and bring about. It will undoubtedly succeed in bringing this about if these critics will have a little patience, stop their destructive and altogether uncalled-for criticism of men who are working unselfishly day and night with brain and body as 110 other group of to my knowledge has ever done in New Zealand. Milford. H. T. Willis.