POLITICAL INCONSISTENCY

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22818, 27 August 1937, Page 15

POLITICAL INCONSISTENCY

Sir, —The acting-Minister of Labour proposes to use the whip of economic compulsion to drive men to distasteful labour in an industry still working on an 80-hour basis or thereabouts and paying wages at the rate of some 9d per hour, whereas the (employed) town worker is guaranteed by law a; 40-hour week and from 2s to 2s 6d per hour. We have seen the readiness with which the Government has acceded to the demands of union-organised town workers for further increases "to an already disproportionately high rate of remuneration; how quickly there is thought of "overcoming" any strike by directing higher wages tor such organised workers; and yet we are now told of the reactionary intention to drive men to the country on such unfavourable terms. Is there justice hero or is it pure expediency? Is this a proposal primarily in the interests of the men who are' to be driven to the country or in the interests of the unionists and others in tho towns? Is the high standard of living of which we have been told to bo maintained for the urban workers alone, upon tho basis of a relative degradation of tho workers in tho country, who are the ultimate producers or tho wages for town and country aliko? Lct_ tho Labour Government really consider all tho people, not a favoured section. There will then be no need of any reactionary compulsion as now intended. D. M. Ross.